PLATE XLI. 



Common Cuckow. 



Lath, Gen. Syn. 1. p. 

 Suppl. 98. I. 



509. 



Le Coucow. 



Br if. Orn. 4. p. 105. 



N°i. 





Buff. 01/. 6. p. 305.- 



-plenl. 811 



Le Coqu. 



Belon. av. 132. 





Ruckuk. 



Frifch. pi. 40. 41. 





R u a u a. 



Kram. 337. 





Gjok. 



Faun. Suec. fp. 96. 





The earlieft appearance of the Cuckow in this country is fuppofed 

 to be in February *, it is rarely in March-, but more commonly in 

 April: it has been emphatically called the harbinger of Summer, or 

 the mefTenger of Spring; and its note, when heard early in the 

 year, mould never fail to invite the rural ceconomift to his ufeful 

 occupation. With Stilling fleet and Pennant we acknowledge the 

 fallibility of human Calendars, for the purpofes of hufbandry; and with 

 them mufl: conclude, that " fome attention mould be given to thofe 

 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 f ," 



The Cuckow is fo well known in this, and every other country of 



EurQpe^ that we are not furprifed to find its Natural Hiftoryhas engaged 



the particular attention of every writer on Ornithology, in whofe works 



i t could be introduced with propriety : it may hence be difficult, if 



not impoffible, to treat of its peculiar habits with an elegance of 



language fuperior to the defcription of Bujfon-, to felecl: morejudicioufly 



the beautiful fictions of Antient Bards, than has been done by Pennant 



■ 1 ■ ■ 1 ..I 11 ■ ■» 



* Mentioned in Br. Zool. Pen. •}• Br. Zotl. 



7 3"4 



