1210 The Zoologist— May, 1868. 



About the middle of November it was very restless by candle- 

 light, and frequently would flap its wings and fall or flutter off its 

 perch. 



November 20. Pecks sometimes at its meat when on the 

 stick. 



November 25. Much quieter than it was last week, and very 

 voracious ; seems in good health, not unfrequenlly pluming its feathers, 

 which in colour much resemble those of the woodcock. 



November 28. Again restless between nine and ten o'clock in the 

 evening. 



January 25, 1859. Cuckoo beginning to moult, still restless during 

 the early part of some nights. 



February 8. Some of the new feathers expose their fibrous ends. 



February 12. Astonishes us by making a loud shrill noise in the 

 evening by candle-light, something like the laughing note of the green 

 woodpecker. 



February 18. Much less restless to-night, as also for one or two 

 previous ones. New feathers out on the back, of a nearly uniform 

 slaty blue colour. Now generally feeds itself by taking meat with 

 egg, or meat alone, from my hands or the bars of its cage ; but some- 

 times descends to the bottom to pick up pieces of food. Very fond of 

 the black beetle, which before eating it generally softens by passing 

 through the beak. 



February 24. Rather restless this evening; frequently picks meat 

 with egg, and Blatta? up from the bottom of the cage. 1 never put any 

 water in it, but generally add this to the meat and egg, when 1 mix 

 up the food. 



March 14. Although it eats black beetles, I have never seen it cast 

 up any portion of them in the manner of hawks and owls. Much of 

 the new plumage out on the back and breast, but many of the old 

 feathers still in the wings, some at the back of the head, and on the 

 higher part of the breast. A large new quill-feather in one of the 

 wings. Still fond of Blatta?, descending to the bottom of the cage to 

 feed on them ; they and raw meat now constitute its principal food. 

 Still restless some evenings. 



April 28. A mouse having been caught last night I gave it to my 

 cuckoo, which took it in its bill, shook it several times, and appeared 

 to regard it quite as an edible article. On its being divided it ate 

 portions of skin, fur, bones and flesh, and from its manner 1 think it 

 likely that it would swallow a small mouse if it had the opportunity. 



