148 BY- WA YS AND BIRD-NO TES. 



of habitat. To what distance Canada is in- 

 vaded by either or both seems left in some 

 doubt. 



Whilst the cuckoos of eastern North Amer- 

 ica are technically frugiverous, they are not, 

 so far as my observation serves me, strictly 

 fruit-eating within the general and popular 

 meaning of the term. I have never seen 

 either of the two common species taste any of 

 the small fruits, wild or tame. They probably 

 eat seeds at need, but their chief food is in- 

 sects — the caterpillars, moths, butterfly-eggs 

 and various larvae found on the leaves and 

 branches of trees. 



The Cuckoo's habits may be studied to 

 advantage by any one who will take the trouble 

 to scan with care almost any apple-orchard in 

 Spring and be guided to the bird by that half- 

 solemn, half-comical cry uttered at intervals, 

 which may be phonetically rendered thus: 

 " Kauwk, kauwk, kauwk kuk — kuk — kuk — kuk 

 — k — k — k — k, kauwk, kauwk, kauwk I" In 

 uttering this singular call or cry, the bird be- 

 gins slowly, the two or three leading notes 

 coming forth at nearly equal intervals, then , 

 the succeeding ones are produced with rapidly 

 increasing quickness, until they run together 

 into a sort of rattling noise, succeeded by a 

 repetition of the opening cries. Loud, harsh, 

 peculiarly doleful, the voice of the rain-crow, 

 as the bird is vulgarly called, rings through 

 our woods and orchards, more especially in 

 cloudy weather, with an accent far from cheer- 

 ing or pleasing. Hence has arisen the unwar- 

 ranted ill-feeling existing in rural districts 

 against this very best bird-friend known to our 

 farmers and fruit-growers. The cuckoos 



