Glafs II. CUCKOO. 183 



Mr. Stillirigjleet obferves, by that condlcu'iion of the 

 air which caufes the fig-tree to put forth its fruit *; 

 From the coincidence of the firft appearance of the 

 fumtner birds of paflage, and the leafing and fruiting 

 of certain plants ; this ingenious writer would eftablifli 

 a natural calendar in our rural csconomy ; to inftruft 

 us in the time of fowing our moft ufeful feeds, or of 

 doing fuch work as depends on a certain temperament 

 of the air. As the fallibility of human calendars 

 need not be infifted on, we muft recommend to our 

 countrymen fome attention to thefe feathered guides, 

 who come heaven-taught, and point out the true 

 commencement of the feafon -f •, their food being 

 the infeds of thofe feafons they continue with us. 



The cuckoo is filent for fome little time after his 

 arrival : 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 

 loofes as foon as the amorous feafon is over. In a 

 trap, which we placed on a tree frequented by 

 cuckoos, we caught not fewer than five male birds ia 

 one feafon •, his note is fo uniform, that his name in 

 all languages feems to have been derived from it ; and 

 in all other countries it is ufed in the fame reproach- 

 ful fenfe. 



the plain fong cuckoo grey, 

 whofe note full many a man doth mark, 



and dares not anfwer nay. Shaksf^ear. 



* Calendar of Flora, qjid. Preface throughout. 

 t In SiJoeden, which is a much colder climate than OUr OWn, the 

 cuckoo does not appear fo early by near a month. 



The 



