COMMON CUCKOW. 



71 



Dr. Latham mentions having twice heard the 

 Cuckow call in the night ; the same circumstance 

 happened again to him on the 10th May, 1783, 

 between eleven and twelve at night, but he ob- 

 served it was bright moonlight each time. 



On the natural history of this singular bird, we 

 have a very curious paper in the Philosophical 

 Transactions for 1788, part 2, article 14, by Dr. 

 Jenrier. kC The first appearance of Cuckows in this 

 country is about the 17th of April. The song of 

 the male, which is well known, soon proclaims its 

 arrival. The song of the female (if the peculiar 

 notes of which it is composed may be so called) is 

 widely different, and has been so little attended 

 to, that, perhaps, few are acquainted with it : the 

 cry of the Dab-chick bears some resemblance to 

 it. Unlike the generality of birds, Cuckows do 

 not pair. When a female appears on the wing, 

 she is often attended by two or three males, who 

 seem to be earnestly contending for her favours. 

 From the time of her appearance till the middle 

 of summer, the nests of the birds selected to re- 

 ceive her eggs are to be found in great abundance ; 

 but, like the other migrating birds, she does not 

 begin to lay till some weeks after her arrival, 



" It is on all hands allowed that the Cuckow 

 does not hatch her own eggs ; for which different 

 reasons have been given, as will be afterwards 

 noticed. The Hedge-sparrow, the Water-wagtail, 

 the Titlark, the Redbreast, the Yellow-hammer, 

 the Green-linnet, or the Whinchat, is generally 



