Mistress Cuckoo 



The cuckoo is thus abnormal above all our 

 other birds, and excites peculiar interest for 

 that reason; and while we have no right to 

 condone her faults, there are some extenuating 

 circumstances for the behavior of Mistress 

 Cuckoo which should be taken into account. 



The first fault of the cuckoo to be mentioned 

 is, that it often eats the eggs of other birds. 

 Crows, jays, and catbirds are in ill-repute for 

 doing the same thing. The eagle, however, 

 whose offence is more heinous, as he often preys 

 upon adult creatures of more value, fares better 

 at our hands, and is considered a rather noble 

 villain. Great offences are at a premium. It 

 is less disgraceful to be an embezzler than a 

 sneak-thief 



We all know that a large proportion of ani- 

 mals sustain life wholly or in part by devouring 

 their fellow-creatures. A flycatcher will sit 

 almost by the hour on the end of a twig, watch- 

 ing his chance, and every sally he makes means 

 the death of a luckless gnat, moth, or butterfly; 

 and we never think of criticising its propriety. 

 We say it is necessary for food and for the de- 

 struction of injurious insects. But the bird's 

 only motive is to gratify appetite, and he is not 

 at all praiseworthy for doing unconsciously what 



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