Birds. 1543 



Why the cry of the cuckoo should be " unpleasing to a married 

 ear, " may not be quite intelligible to some, but the meaning I believe 

 is this ; that as the cuckoo is said to deposit its eggs in the nest of 

 another bird, that takes upon itself the trouble of hatching and dis- 

 charges the duties of a foster-parent, so to a man troubled with an 

 unfaithful spouse, who bestows her favours upon others, the unenvia- 

 ble soubriquet of " cuckold " has been answered. 



As the cuckoo's voice has its principal attraction in the spring of 

 the year, when it reminds us of approaching summer, a season when its 

 cry is unnoticed amid the crowd of more gifted songsters, so in c Henry 

 the 4th, we find the king admonishing his son, and telling him that 

 a man became of importance in the eyes of his fellow men, in propor- 

 tion as he kept himself aloof and preserved a distant and dignified 

 demeanour ; but that he who associated too commonly with the world 



" When he had occasion to be seen 

 He was but as the cuckoo is in June, 

 Heard, not regarded." 



A singular superstition with regard to the Cock is recorded in 

 ' Hamlet.' 



It appears that the first crow of the cock in the morning, was be- 

 lieved to be the signal for all sprites to betake themselves to their 

 quarters, and that on Christmas eve, the bird kept up a constant crow- 

 ing all night, to deter these spirits from coming forth at all. To give 

 the story correctly, I transcribe the lines, which are as follows, 



" Hor. I have heard 

 The cock, that is the trumpet to the morn, 

 Doth with his lofty and shrill-sounding throat 

 Awake the god of day ; and at his warning, 

 Whether in sea or fire, in earth or air, 

 The extravagant and erring spirit hies 

 To his confine : and of the truth herein 

 This present object made probation. 

 Mar. It faded at the crowing of the cock. 

 Some say, that ever 'gainst that season comes, 

 Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated, 

 This bird of dawning singeth all night long : 

 And then, they say, no spirit walks abroad ; 

 The nights are wholesome ; then no planets strike, 

 No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm, 

 So hallow'd and so gracious in the time." 



Throughout the writings of Shakspeare we find frequent mention 



