Class II. CUCKOO. 311 



white. [The cuckoo when very young is a black 

 looking ugly animal resembling at first sight 

 a young toad or bat; in this state when you 

 approach the nest, it will raise its crest and 

 feathers, and peck or strike with the wings at 

 the hand which offers to lay hold upon it, ele- 

 vating itself on the nest, and when fledged, will 

 make a shrieking noise; but this disposition 

 soon leaves it, when it will take food and be 

 easily tamed. Ed.] 



At a more advanced period the young birds 

 are brown mixed with ferruginous and black, 

 and in that state have been described by some 

 authors as old ones. 



The cuckoo is scarce in Italy ; it arrives 

 there in April, and disappears with the goat- 

 suckers after the dog-days. 



