408 BRITISH BIRDS. 



rump, the white under wing-Goverts, and the two very distinct 

 bars of black across the wings, easily distinguish it. In many 

 respects it resembles the common blue-rock. 



The Stoi-li'-dove (C. <r>uis) nests in the stocks of trees and 

 even in rabbit-burrows. It may be found abundantly in well- 

 timbered districts in the middle, west, and south of England, 

 and nests about March, but also right through to October. It 

 can be told from the Wood-pigeon by the absence of the 

 white-and-black neck -mark, and by the under-side being bluish- 

 grey ; there is also an imperfect black bar on the wing, and 

 the under wing-coverts are grey. 



12. Cuculiformes. 



Cuckoos and Parrots (Cuoulidje and Psittaci). 



The CuruJifoi'inen are the Cuckoos and Parrots. The former 

 alone are represented in these islands, and by a single species 

 only, the Cwlcoo {Cuculus canorus). This bird conies to us 

 about the beginning of April, when it soon proclaims its pres- 

 ence by its well-known note. It is found throughout Great 

 Britain. The female cuckoo lays her egg on the ground, and 

 then by means of her bill she carries it to some nest to be 

 incubated. For this purpose she specially chooses the nest of 

 a reed-warbler, meadow-pipit, wagtail, or hedge-sparrow. The 

 young cuckoo grows rapidly, and soon turns out the proper 

 occupants of the nest, by means of a cavity on its Ijack, which 

 then grows up, commencing to disappear about the end of the 

 second week after birth. The food consists mainly of insects, 

 the foster-mother being kept busily at work, as the young 

 cuckoo is ravenous. Hairy caterpillars of the lackey-moth, 

 tiger-moth, iVc, are especially acceptable to the young bird. 

 It is a widely distributed bird, being found in India and 

 Africa and many other parta. 



