206 CUCULIDvE. 



occasionally found in another bird's nest. Mr. Audubon 

 says, " That its own nest is simple, flat, composed of a few 

 dry sticks and grass, formed much like that of the common 

 Dove ; the eggs are four or five in number, of a uniform 

 spotless greenish blue colour," one inch two lines in length 

 by eight lines in breadth. 



Wilson says that, " while the female is sitting, the male 

 is generally not far distant, and gives the alarm, by his 

 notes, when any person is approaching. The female sits 

 so close that you may almost reach her with your hand, 

 and then precipitates herself to the ground, feigning lame- 

 ness, to draw you away from the spot, fluttering, trailing 

 her wings, and tumbling over, in the manner of the 

 Partridge, Woodcock, and many other species. Both 

 parents unite in providing food for the young. This 

 consists, for the most part, of caterpillars, particularly such 

 as infest apple trees. The same sort of insects constitute 

 the chief part of their own sustenance. They are accused, 

 and with some justice, of sucking the eggs of other birds, 

 like the Crow, the Blue Jay, and other pillagers. They 

 also occasionally eat various kinds of berries. But from 

 the circumstance of destroying such numbers of very 

 noxious larvae, they prove themselves the friends of the 

 farmer, and are highly deserving of his protection." 



As every newly ascertained fact in the reproduction of 

 the species among the Cuckoos is a matter of interest, 

 I here append some recent additions by Mr. Audubon, 

 inserted in his fifth volume. 



" Whilst at Charlestown in South Carolina, in the early 

 part of June 1837, I was invited by J. S. Ehett, Esq. re- 

 siding in the suburbs of that city, to visit his grounds for 

 the purpose of viewing the nest of the Yellow-billed 

 Cuckoo. This I did in company with my friend Dr. S. 



