Family CUCULID^. 



THE CUCKOO. 



Cuculus canorus, Linnaeus. 

 Plate 25. 



Looking over my notes, kept for a number of years, on the first arrival of the 

 Cuckoo in the neighbourhood of Hascombe, Surrey, I find the earliest date is the 

 loth of April, the bird usually arriving shortly after that time. 



Mr. J. G, Millais tells me that he saw and heard one in Warnham Park, 

 Sussex, as early as 31st March, which he believes is the earliest authentic date 

 known : this was recorded in The Field at the time. 



The males, who come before the females, soon announce their presence by 

 their well-known call, which, continuing throughout the month of May, becomes 

 hoarse before ceasing in June. Towards the end of July or early in August the 

 old birds disappear, the young following them later. 



Soon after its arrival it spreads over the country, reaching the northern parts 

 of Scotland shortly after the beginning of May. 



During summer it visits the whole of Europe, ranging, according to the late 

 Howard Saunders [Manual of British Birds, 2nd ed., p. 287), "almost to the North 

 Cape in Norway, nearly as far north in Russia, and across Northern Asia up to 

 lat. 67°," while in winter it migrates to South Africa, India, and other parts of 

 Southern Asia. 



Owing to the Cuckoo's strange habit of entrusting the care of its eggs and 

 young to foster-parents of other species, it has long attained a notoriety possessed 

 by few other birds. 



As is now well known' the female lays her egg on the ground, and taking it 



in her bill deposits it in the nest of some other bird ; perhaps the most favoured 



are those of the Pied Wagtail, Meadow- and Tree-Pipit, Reed-Warbler, Hedge- 



Sparrow, and other soft-billed birds. The eggs are remarkably small for a bird 



of the Cuckoo's size, and vary a good deal in colour and markings, but apparently 



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