82 



COMMON CUCKOW. 



nutmeg, and is apparently composed of horse-hair : 

 he conjectures it must have been swallowed whilst 

 a nestling, from its similarity to the inside of the 

 nests of those birds that generally rear it. In the 

 stomachs of old Cuckows are also found balls of 

 hair, which evidently proceed from the larvae it 

 feeds on. 



In migrating, the major part of these birds are 

 supposed to go into Africa ; since they are ob- 

 served to visit the island of Malta twice in a year 

 in their passage backwards and forwards, as is 

 supposed, to that part of the world. The Cuckow 

 is well known also in Aleppo. It is said to be 

 common in Sweden, but not to appear so early 

 by a month as with us ; they are likewise found 

 in Russia ; and Dr. Latham mentions his having 

 seen a specimen brought from Kamtschatka, and 

 a drawing of one from India. 



