aan oC: UO ak Ss @&. 
infifted on, we muft recommend to our country- 
men fome attention to thefe feathered guides, 
who come heaven-taught, and point out the true 
commencement of the feafon*,; their food being 
the infects of thofe feafons they continue with us. 
It is very probable, that thefe birds, or at left 
part of them do not entirely quit this iNand during 
winter; but that they feek fhelter in hollow trees, 
and lie torpid, unlefs animated by unufually warm 
weather. I have two evidences of their being heard 
to fing as early as February: one was in the latter 
end of that month 1771, the other on the fourth 
1769: the weather in the laft was uncommonly 
warm; but after that they were heard no more, 
chilled again as I fuppofe into torpidity. There is 
an inftance of their being heard in the fummer 
time to fing at midnight. ; 
There is a remarkable coincidence between their 
fong, and the feafon of the mackerel’s continuance 
in full roe; that is from about the middle of April, 
to the latter end of Fane. 
The cuckoo is filent for fome little time after his 
atrival : his note is a call to love, and ufed only by 
the male, who fits perched generally on fome dead 
tree, or bare bough, and repeats his fong, which 
he lofes as foon as the amorous feafonis over. In 
a trap, which we placed on a tree frequented by 
_ * In Sweden, which is a much colder climate than our own, 
the cuckoo does not appear fo early by a month. 
Vor. I. R cuckoos 
233 
