The Zoologist— February, 1868. 1005 



" If anyone hears the call-note of this bird for the first time after its 

 arrival before breakfast, it is looked upon as a foreboding of death to 

 that individual. The Hebridians, therefore, are most careful, at the 

 time the cuckoo is expected, not to go out of doors before taking that 

 meal." In Martin's curious 'Voyage to St. Kilda' (London, 1698), it 

 is stated that the cuckoo is only seen there "upon extraordinary 

 occasions, such as the death of the proprietor, Mack-Leod, the 

 steward's death, or the arrival of some notable stranger." At first 

 Mr. Martin was inclined to doubt this, but on making inquiry he 

 learned that the cuckoo had been seen " after the death of the two 

 last proprietors, and the two last stewards, and also before the arrival 

 of strangers several times," which evidence seems to have convinced 

 him, as it doubtless will the readers of the • Zoologist.' In many parts 

 of Britain popular belief brings the cuckoo through various wonderful 

 transformations, starting as the inhabitant of the white froth known as 

 "cuckoo-spit" (formed by the larva of Aphrophora spumaria), and 

 ending by changing it into a hawk. Several English popular rhymes 

 give a good account of its life-history ; these have been so often quoted 

 that it will be needless to repeat them here. 



Kingfisher.— Yarrell's remarks (' British Birds,' vol. ii. p. 210) and 

 Mr. Harting's notes (Zool. S. S. 533) have nearly exhausted the super- 

 stitions concerning the halcyon's floating nest and its inexplicable 

 power over the boundless winds ; it was also believed that its em- 

 balmed body moulted annually, but Aldrovandus was unable to 

 observe this in one suspended in his Museum. The ancients pre- 

 served its- dried body as a safeguard against thunder and family 

 quarrels, and the Tartars are said to use its feathers as a love- 

 philter. 



Swallow and Martin. — On the interesting subject of the " swallow- 

 stone " I cannot do better than refer to Dr. Lebour's remarks (Zool. 

 S. S. 523), and to Mr. Harting's notes (Zool. S. S. 744). As already 

 noted (under the heading Cuckoo) it is considered lucky in Scotland 

 to be sitting when the swallow is first seen in spring : it also bodes 

 good fortune when numbers of these birds build about one's house. 

 Both species are very generally confused together, and the same belief 

 applies to both. According to Lord Hailes, as quoted by Jamieson, 

 the origin of the name of " martin," or " martlet," is that the bird 

 " is supposed to leave this country about St. Martin's day in the 

 beginning of winter." 



Nightjar.— The old belief, to which this bird owes its names of 



