Il6 CASSELLS BOOK OF BIRDS. 



the weight of its burden, till at length, after various efforts, the strongest prevailed, and was afterwards 

 brought up by the pair of Hedge Sparrows." 



"It is wonderful," continues Dr. Jenner, "to see the extraordinary exertions of the young Cuckoo 

 when it is two or three days old, if a bird be put into the nest with it that is too weighty for it to 

 lift out. In this state it seems ever restless and uneasy ; but this disposition for throwing out its 

 companions seems to decline from that time till it is about twelve days old, when as far as I have 

 seen, it ceases entirely. Indeed, the disposition for throwing out eggs appears to cease a few days 

 sooner, for I have frequently seen the young Cuckoo, after it had been hatched nine or ten days, 

 remove a nestling that had been placed in the nest with it, while it suffered an egg, put there at 

 the same time, to remain unmolested. The singularity of its shape is well adapted to these purposes, 

 for, unlike other newly-hatched birds, its back, from the shoulders downwards, is very broad, with a 

 considerable depression in the middle, This depression seems formed by Nature for the design 

 of giving a more secure lodgment to an egg or a young bird, when the Cuckoo is employed in 

 removing either of them from the nest. When it is twelve days old, this cavity is quite filled up, and 

 then the back assumes the shape of nestling birds in general." 



The JAY CUCKOOS {Coccystes) are recognisable by their elongate body; thick, broad, curved 

 beak, which is compressed at its sides and almost equals the head in length; strong and comparatively 

 long and partially-feathered feet ; moderate-sized wing, in which the fourth quill is the longest ; and 

 long, conical tail, composed of narrow feathers, the outermost of which are only half the length of 

 those in the centre. The smooth plumage takes the form of a crest upon the head, and is similarly 

 coloured in both sexes, This group is almost peculiar to the African continent. 



THE JAY CUCKOO. 



The Jay Cuckoo {Coccystes glandaritis) is deep grey on the head, greyish brown on the back, 

 and greyish white on the under side. The throat and upper breast are reddish yellow; and the 

 feathers on the wing-covers and the secondary quills have broad, triangular, white spots at their tips ; 

 the eye is deep brown, the beak purplish grey, and the foot greyish green. This species is about 

 fifteen inches long ; the wing measures eight, and the tail eight and a half inches. 



The Jay Cuckoo is very numerously met with in some parts of Africa, and from thence wanders 

 forth into Europe, appearing occasionally in Greece and Italy. It is often known to breed in Spain. 

 Such of these birds as inhabit Egypt principally frequent the small groups of mimosa that abound 

 in the valley of the Nile, and live in pairs or small parties, according to our own observation, 

 remaining together even during the breeding season. Like its European brother, this species is 

 of a restless and violent temperament, engaging constantly in fierce strife with its male companions 

 during the period of incubation. Its flight is rapid, and so skilful as to enable the bird to penetrate 

 the densest thickets without a moment's hesitation. It rarely descends to the ground, but obtains 

 the insects and caterpillars on which it subsists either while on the wing or when perchmg among the 

 branches. Its voice, which somewhat resembles that of a Jay, can be heard at a considerable 

 distance, and has a laughing but monotonous sound. The female, like the rest of her congeners, 

 deposits her eggs in another bird's nest. Baedecker describes the egg as of a light blueish green, 

 spotted -ivith grey or brown, and dotted all over with reddish brown ; at the broad end the spots take 

 the form of a wreath. In form the eggs are similar to those of other Cuckoos, but in size resemble 

 those of the Jay. 



The KOELS {Eudynainys), a small group of Cuckoos inhabiting Southern Asia and Oceania, 



