NOTES ON THE FOOD OF BIRDS. 323 
weeks to enjoy the abundance of food; and in a very short time 
they so cleared the forest that the pest did not appear the next 
oi: 8 According to Mr. Zimmermann, on the island of 
Elbe, at Leitmeritz, the larve of Liparis chrysorrhea appeared in 
such quantities as almost to prevent the otherwise much visited 
promenade from being used, when four pairs of Cuckoos began to 
clear away the larve, and remained quite peaceably together 
(Dresser). Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., told me of the larva of Zeuzera 
Aiscult being found in the stomach of a Cuckoo. Some which I dis- 
sected were full of large hairy larvee, probably those of Spilosoma 
menthrastti and S. lubricipeda. The gizzards of all Cuckoos, 
both old and young, dissected by me were entirely lined with such 
a thick layer of the hairs of such larve that when the gizzards 
were turned inside out they resembled the skins of mice. The 
hairs appeared to be firmly rooted, and all pointing in regular 
order as if they had been all brushed in one direction by the 
action of the gizzard. I have known many Cuckoos to frequent 
gooseberry-bushes in a garden at Aylmerton for several days, and 
believe they were destroying larve (F. Norgate). Old Cuckoos 
seem most partial to hairy larve. Young Cuckoos eat flies, 
beetles, larvee, grasshoppers, small snails, tender shoots of grass, 
young wheat, or vetches (Yarrell). Larve of Pieris brassice, 
larvee infesting gooseberry-bushes, and especially hairy larve 
(Stevenson). From July 18th to 22nd forty Cuckoos were seen, 
chiefly among gooseberry-bushes, in a garden in the county of 
Down. Almost all permitted a very near approach, but yet not 
near enough to be caught by hand (Bishop Stanley). A young 
Cuckoo killed on August 20th contained about twenty full-grown 
larve of Vanessa Io (Bishop Stanley). Young Cuckoos seem to 
have enormous appetites, and to be fed by several different species 
of birds, besides their own foster-parents (F. Norgate). 
Rouuer.—Insects, worms, slugs, and berries (Yarrell). 
BrE-EATER.—Takes its food on the wing. Chiefly winged 
insects, Hymenoptera, bees, Cicadas (Yarrell). One Bee-eater 
contained the remains of five large hymenopterous insects— 
humble bees ? (Stevenson). 
KinGFISHER.— Water-beetles, leeches, minnows, sticklebacks 
(Yarrell). Water-beetles and Notonecta (Stevenson). 
Swattow. — Insects (Yarrell). Food consists chiefly of 
Staphylinus brachypterus (Bishop Stanley). For some lengthy 
