280 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



meadow for some GO or 70 yards, and was rewarded by a clear 

 view of the bird." 



These statements are positive enough, and we must confess 

 that, considering the wide geographical range of this bird, which 

 inhabits the pine-forests of Northern and Central Europe, and 

 is found also in Spain, we see nothing at all improbable in its 

 occasional appearance, as reported, in the British Islands. 



It is not often that one is fortunate enough to witness the 

 actual arrival of the Cuckoo here in spring. The mode of its 

 appearance is thus described (p. 107) by the Eev. W. B. Mynors, 

 whom, by the way, we had the pleasure of meeting last autumn 

 on Speyside : — " While admiring the beauties of Nature about 

 5.45 a.m. on April 14th, niy attention was arrested by a dull 

 chattering, with a few sharp accents. After some seconds I 

 descried a line of something, high as the eye could reach, about 

 the size of Wagtails, moving from S.E. to N.W. equidistant, 

 probably from 20 to 40 yards apart. This was an arrival of 

 Cuckoos. I believe I saw the end of the straight line of birds, 

 probably by no means the beginning of it. While carefully 

 watching them, I saw about four or five leave the line, and 

 descend with a clumsy zigzag movement till near the earth ; 

 two or three certainly remained, one or two re-ascended." 

 Thus it appears that Cuckoos migrate in company, and travel 

 at a good height. 



In Herefordshire, as in other counties at the present day, 

 ornithologists have to deplore the gradual extermination of all 

 the larger birds of prey. Kites, Buzzards, Harriers, Peregrines, 

 are all getting scarcer every year ; even the poor Kestrel and 

 the useful Owl do not escape persecution. We often wonder 

 why country gentlemen who are fond of shooting do not educate 

 their gamekeepers more by imparting to them a little useful 

 natural history when opportunity occurs, as it must frequently 

 do in the course of their rambles. Some of our friends have 

 adopted this course with the best results. Keepers, who were 

 never happy unless letting off their guns at something, have 

 learnt to take a pleasure in seeing things live, in observing the 

 movements and habits of wild creatures, and in reporting their 

 presence to their masters. It would be well if others were to 

 follow their example. 



