ZOOLOGT. 77 



51. Cuculiis. CccKOO. B^7J strait, slender, soft and slighly 

 incurved ; nostrils somewhat prominent ; tongue short, 

 pointed ; tail composed of ten flexible feathers ; feet 

 formed for climbing; toes two forward, and two 

 backward. 



A very numerous tribe, feeding principally on caterpillars, 

 and the larvas of insects ; they axe Avidely dispersed ; but 

 only one species is European, the C. canorus, whose habits 

 and oeconomy correspond -with the others of this genus. 

 The Cuckoo does not build any nest, but deposits its eggs 

 in the nests of other birds, to whose care it leaves the hatch- 

 ing and fostering of its young ; it is a migratory bird, arriving 

 in England early in April, and quitting us in August and 

 September. (See British Ornithology^ vol. 2.) All the 

 kinds affect warmwoody situations. 



22.' Indicator. Honet-Guide. Bill strong, conical, broad 

 at the base, gradually narrowing to the tip, upper man- 

 dible arched and keeled, the lower one incurving at 

 the tip ; nostrils partly covered with feathers ; feet a» 

 in the last genus. 



Inhabits the interior of Africa, where it is said to feed on 

 the honey, collected by the wild bees, but being unable to 

 obtain it itself, by its note, points out to the inhabitants th3 

 nests of the Bees ; on this account it is held in such esteem, 

 as to be considered criminal to destroy it. 



23. lynx. Wryneck. Bill round, and somewhat incur- 

 vated ; nostrils bare, and concave ; tongue long. 



