LIFE A?vD BEHAVIOR OF THE CUCKOO 
199 
suspended by a leg or a single toe; for upwards of fifteen seconds, 
and with both legs can raise itself to the support, or until its bill 
is over the twig, a feat which probably no other altricious bird 
in this part of the world can perform at birth (figs. 2 and 3) . In a 
very short time it is able to draw itself on to its support, and even 
to raise itself with one leg, which implies an extraordinary mus- 
cular development. 
The real significance of this athletic abiUty is clearly seen when 
we come to consider the equally precocious climbing instinct, for 
which it is a direct and necessary preparation. Though born 
blind, and essentially naked, the young cuckoo is probably in 
proportion to its size, the strongest, hardiest, and most enter- 
prising altricious bird in North America. 
A. Initial reactions at birth 
The most striking ^-eactions and powers displayed by the young 
at birth or shortly after are as follows: (1) The grasping reflex; 
(2) food-reactions; (3) initial call-notes, and (4) power of orienta- 
tion. 
The grasping reflex (1), which is highly characteristic of the pas- 
serine and various other orders of birds, is developed in a marked 
degree in the young cuckoo. The bird commonly lies flat in its 
nest at this early period with toes clenched, holding to the twigs 
or nest-lining with firm grip. If forcibly removed, it is liable to 
pull its nest to pieces, rather than let go, and will sometimes seize 
and drag out one of its fellows, reminding us of lobsters and cray- 
fishes, in handling which we are likely also to get a living chain. 
When the claws of this young bird finally relax, they open and 
close very rapidly, and this reaction continues until checked either 
by fatigue or the satisfaction of finding any object to grasp. The 
contact stimulus afforded by a solid body alone satisfies this power- 
ful reflex, which from the moment of birth is of the greatest ser- 
vice to the young bird, not alone in holding it to its twig-nest, 
but in developing the muscles of the hind limbs and body generally 
and thus preparing it for the climbing stage soon to follow. It 
