362 CUCULIDiE. 



them against the furniture that it could fly but very imperfectly, 

 it was apparently very thankful to any person who would help it 

 up on the first sash of the window. At other times it sat upon 

 the fender, turning itself in various directions, and spreading its 

 wings and feathers to receive the heat, of which it could bear a 

 temperature equal to 100 degrees for a considerable time with 

 seeming satisfaction. During cold weather it slept at its mistress's 

 bed-side, covered with a piece of flannel, which was well warmed 

 previous to its going to rest. With this attention, it generally 

 remained quiescent until morning ; but on feeling cold, sometimes 

 presumed so far as to creep under the bed-clothes. It was only 

 to those from whom it had received some hurt or persecution, that 

 it expressed dislike or fear, which it manifested by raising its neck- 

 feathers and putting itself into an attitude of defence. It never 

 uttered the cry of the male — ' cuckoo ' — but sometimes, when 

 persons in the room were laughing, it would apparently join, and 

 emit a noise somewhat like the barking of a little dog. At all 

 other times the only sound it made was a kind of low chattering, 

 expressive of pleasure, when it got into a warm place, or on seeing 

 its mistress after she had been absent for some hours. It received 

 the unlucky tramp, which finally killed it, by having lost too 

 much the apprehension of injury." 



From Miss Templeton, I have learned the following particulars 

 respecting this cuckoo : — It moulted only a few feathers the first 

 year about Christmas ; the following year, about the same period, 

 moulting commenced, and the bird became so unwell, that its life 

 was considered to be in danger. Some of the adult plumage was 

 then exhibited, but before there was time for this to be perfected, 

 the poor bird met with its accidental death. This cuckoo was 

 never subjected to the confinement of the cage, but was kept in 

 the parlour through the day, and taken to its mistress's bed-room 

 at night. Its favourite food was a hairy species of caterpillar 

 found upon the oak, that being better liked than the hispid one 

 of the nettle butterfly ; but it would eat voraciously of either of 

 these, consuming fully three times as many, as of the smooth 

 caterpillar of the cabbage : — this was wholly rejected when the 



