268 Mr. Selby's Catalogue of Birds. 



unable to trace it in the northern parts of Northumberland. In the southern and midland 

 counties it is very common. 



Fam. CvcvLTDM. 

 Genus CUCULUS. CUCKOO. 



109. CUCULUS CANORUS. COMMON CUCKOO. 



Cuculus canorus, Linn., Lath., Briss. 



Coucou gris, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. 



Common Cuckoo, Br. Zool., Arct. Zool., Lath. Syn., Mont. Ornlth. Diet., Bewick's Br. Birds, 



Selby's Illus. Br. Orn., Flemm. Br. Anim. 



Upon our moors the Cuckoo is much more plentiful than in the lower and inclosed 

 grounds. In the former situation, it generally selects the nest of the Anthus pratensis 

 (Common Pipit) as the depository for its egg. Dr. Fleraming, in his work on British 

 Animals, seems to favour the idea, that the Cuckoo sometimes constructs its own nest, and 

 incubates ; and quotes a manuscript passage of Derham's, on instinct, communicated by 

 Pennant to Barrington, as favouring this opinion ; but from the statement there made, I 

 have no doubt but that the supposed nest of the Cuckoo was that of a Night Jar, as it con- 

 tained two young ones, which lived quietly together, and were fed by the parent, — a fact 

 at variance with the observations hitherto made, which shew that the young Cuckoo 

 instinctively endeavours to render itself sole master of the nest ; and where two have hap- 

 pened to be hatched together, the struggle never ceased till one was forcibly ejected from 

 the nest. 



Order III. Rasokes. 



Fam. CoLUMBiD.E. 



Genus COLUMBA. DOVE. 



no. COLUMBA PALUMBUS. RING-DOVE. 



Columba palumbus, Linn., Lath., Briss. 



Palumbus torquatus, Raii. 



Colombe ramler, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. 



Ring Pigeon, Br. Zool., Arct. Zool., Lath. Syn. 



Ring Dove, Mont. Ornith. Diet., Beivick's Br. Birds, Selby's Illus. Br. Orn., Flemm. Br. Anim. 



111. COLUMBA TURTUR. TURTLE DOVE. 



Columba turtur, Linn., Lath., Raii. 



Colombe tourterelle, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. 



Common Turtle, Br. Zool., Lath. Syn. 



Turtle Dove, Mont. Ornith. Diet., Bewick's Br. Birds, Selby's Illus. Br. Orn., Flemm. Br. 



Anim. 



This is a rare and occasional visitant in the north, although plentiful in many of the 

 southern counties during the summer. In my collection is a male bird, killed near North 

 Sunderland, in the autumn of 1818 ; and at this time, the gamekeeper of Ralph Carr, Esq. 

 of Dunstan Hill, has a living specimen in his possession, having broken its wing with the 

 gun. Bewick also mentions a flock which visited the meadows about Prestwick Car, and 

 describes a young bird that was killed out of it. 



