CUCKOO, 1038 
Famity CUCULIDA. 
CUCKOO. 
Cucunus canorus, Linn. 
Pl. XVL., figs. 9-11. 
Geogr. distr.—Nearly the whole of Europe and Northern Asia in 
summer; towards winter, however, it migrates to S. Africa and India. 
Food.—Insects, Mollusca, berries. 
Nest.—None is constructed, the eggs being placed in the habitations 
of other birds, which act as foster parents to the young Cuckoo. 
Number of eggs.—aAs only one is placed in each nest, this is difficult 
to ascertain: but the number probably varies from 4-8.* 
Time of nidification—V-V1; May. 
The Cuckoo usually arrives in this country about the 
middle of April, and leaves again in August, the young 
birds following about a month later: its favourite nurseries 
appear to be the nests of the Hedge Sparrow, Reed Warbler, 
Sedge Warbler, Pied Wagtail, Tree and Meadow Pipits, and 
Skylark. Ihave myself taken it in all of these excepting 
the Sedge Warbler and Meadow Pipit, as also in that of 
the Yellowhammer, and I have seen the young bird nearly 
ready to fly in that of the Song Thrush (Zool. 1877, p. 800). 
In addition to the above it has been found (See Dresser’s 
‘Birds of Europe’) in nests of the Red-backed Shrike, 
Spotted Flycatcher, Blackbird, Ring Ouzel, Wheatear, 
Stonechat, Redstart, Robin, Grasshopper Warbler, Dartford 
Warbler, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden War- 
bler, Blackcap, Wood Wren, Chiff-Chaff, Willow Wren, 
Common Wren, Grey Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Rock Pipit, 
Woodlark, Common Bunting, Reed Bunting, Cirl Bunting, 
Chaffinch, Linnet, and Swallow; in several of which nests 
it could only be deposited by being taken up in the bill of 
the bird and dropped thence into its place, as has been 
recorded by several recent observers to have been seen done. 
In 1884 I came across a singular instance of deficient 
instinct on the part of a Cuckoo, which deposited an egg in 
an unfinished Linnet’s nest entirely destitute of lining; I 
«watched the nest for several days, and, finding that it was 
deserted by the Linnets, I took it as acuriosity. The same 
year (June 19th) Mr. Hickling (of Sidcup, in Kent) took a 
nest of the Pied Wagtail containing two Cuckoos’ eggs from 
ivy on his garden wall, and sent it tome; both eggs were de- 
posited on the same morning, and therefore by two Cuckoos. 
* A friend of mine took five in a small swampy grove, in one even- 
ing; all were in nests of the Sedge Warbler; they probably represented 
the complete laying of one female. 
