70 



COMMON CUCKOW. 



Length fourteen inches : weight about five 

 ounces. 



Le Coucou roux of Brisson is merely a variety 

 of the young bird, having the upper parts varied 

 with rufous, where the other is white. 



This bird appears in our country early in the 

 spring, and makes the shortest stay with us of any 

 bird of passage ; generally appearing in April, 

 (although it is sometimes seen the latter end of 

 March), and remaining till the beginning of July. 

 Mr. Pennant # gives two instances of its being 

 heard in February; one in 1769 on the fourth of 

 that month; the other in 1771 in the latter end 

 of the same ; but were heard no more afterwards, 

 being probably killed or rendered torpid by the 

 cold. The Cuckow is silent for some time after 

 his arrival ; and his pleasant, though uniform 

 note, is a call to love, and used only by the male, 

 who generally sits perched on some dead bough of 

 a tree, repeating his song, which he loses as soon 

 as the breeding season is over, which is about the 

 end of June. 



The note of the Cuckow is in all countries 

 used in a reproachful sense. Shakspeare says it is 



" ! a note of fear, 

 Unpleasing to the married ear f." 



And again, 



tc The plain song Cuckoo grey, 

 Whose note full many a man doth mark, 

 And dares not answer nay J." 



* Brit. Zool. l. p. 233. f Love's Labour's lost. 



% Midsummer Night's Dream. 



