396 



British Cage Birds. 



quiet, peaceably-disposed birds. At other times the nest of 

 a Greenfinch is selected ; but these birds prove resentful, and 

 sometimes throw out the intruded egg. Whenever a Cuckoo 

 is about to lay her eggs, the fact may easily be discovered by 

 the hubbub created by the small birds in the immediate neigh- 

 bourhood, as they follow her about, exhibiting a threatening 

 attitude, and making a most hideous noise. The Cuckoo does 

 not appear to be either courageous or vindictive, and bears the 

 rebuffs to which she is subjected at this time with considerable 

 fortitude and forbearance. The eggs deposited by the rightful 

 owner of the nest are mostly left until the period of incuba- 

 tion has expired, when the young birds are invariably thrown 

 out of the nest. Whether this is done by the young Cuckoo, 

 the mother, or the parent Cuckoo, is not known for certain, 

 but appearances are in favour of the theory that the parent 

 Cuckoos are the ejectors, and that their instincts prompt them 

 to do so in order that their progeny may be better fed, and 

 receive the undivided attention of the foster parents. At a 

 very early age young Cuckoos display strong passions, and 

 become almost ferocious when handled or unduly interfered 

 with, and never become tame or tractable. 



Methods of Capture. — Cuckoos are most difficult birds to 

 ensnare, being naturally of a timid and wild nature. Young 

 birds are occasionally caught with horsehair nooses, secured 

 to a line formed of stout twine, pegged down on a piece of 

 newly-ploughed land in close proximity to a wood or thicket, 

 and baited with mealworms. The best time to insure success 

 is the early morning. Old birds so caught are useless as 

 pets, as they never get tame, usually refuse to partake of 

 food, and starve themselves to death. Even young birds, 

 not many weeks fledged, are most difficult to reconcile to 

 a state of domestication, and are most obstreperous and wilful. 

 Their wings require to be clipped short to render them the 

 least amenable to the laws of civilisation. 



Food and Treatment. — In the wild state. Cuckoos feed 

 chiefly on worms and caterpillars, and also catch and devour 

 dragon flies on the wing. They are very partial to cran- 

 berries and elderberries. In a state of domestication they 

 eat worms, boiled liver of any description, or flesh meat, 

 bread and milk, and the Compounds No. 2 and No. 3 {vide 

 page 190). They are particularly fond of mealworms and 



