32 CUCULID.E. 



strong on the wing, but when on the ground apparently 

 helpless and clumsy. It therefore suits this bird better to 

 fly even a short distance, than to reach it by hopping on the 

 ground. Its perch is generally on a strong branch of a tree, 

 or occasionally on a post or gate in a field, from whence the 

 Cuckoo can look out for its food or enemy. In case more 

 than one pair of these birds are frightened, or started on the 

 wing, they show their unsociability very much by not flying 

 away together, like most other birds, but each pair separates 

 from the rest and takes its own course, although the female 

 is never far behind the male, who is careful not to desert 

 her. The flight of the Cuckoo resembles that of the spar- 

 row-hawk ; it is scarcely so rapid as that of the pigeon ; 

 but it excels in making short turns, or evolutions. 



The well-known pleasing call of the Cuckoo, in the spring 

 of the year, stands in the place of the song of other birds, and 

 helps to complete the concert of Nature. This call has furnish- 

 ed the bird with its name, after the manner of the " sweeps," 

 and " old clothes " men. When the bird is courting, and gets 

 in ecstacies, it sometimes lengthens its call to cuckookook, 

 and this is frequently twice or three times repeated. In the 

 pairing season, the Cuckoo begins its call soon after mid- 

 night, and repeats it more than a hundred times in succession, 

 without changing its perch ; after which it rests for a time, 

 recommences, and then again rests, and thus continues until 

 the morning light reminds the bird that the time has arrived 

 for him to break his fast, and he then starts off on the 

 -wing in search of food. These birds also call out while 

 flying high in the air ; and they produce a sound like gwa, 

 wa, wa, which is considered by some as an indication 

 of the near approach of rainy weather ; but whether this 

 opinion has any foundation in facts, we will not undertake 

 to determine. The Cuckoo feeds on insects and their larvse, 

 by choice, however, on hairy caterpillars in all stages, cock- 



