THE CUCKOO. 
357 
short rich pasture. Along the romantic coast of Antrim, about 
Glenarm and Carnlough, the peasantry look forward with the 
greatest interest every spring, for what they call the “ Gowk 
(cuckoo) Storm” that takes place about the end of April, or the 
beginning of May, when the note of this bird is heard. This 
storm, which is from the east, casts on the beach vast quantities 
of sea- wrack, used as manure for their potatoes. When staying in 
that quarter at the latter end of May, 1842, I was informed, that 
this was the only year in which a strong east wind had not 
thrown ashore abundance of the wrack. The season was so 
far advanced, that the people could wait no longer, and they 
were busily engaged in boats, containing from one to three 
men each, cutting it from the submerged rocks. This was 
done very dexterously with a small sharp hook fixed at the 
end of a long pole, the plant being cut and brought into the boat 
at the one sweep. The tangle ( Laminaria digitata ) is the species 
chiefly used. I saw potatoes planted on it a few hours after its 
being cut from the rocks. It is carried in sacks by men up the 
steep but arable sides of the glens, where horses cannot be used. A 
sufficient quantity could not be obtained in the manner described, 
and it was consequently feared, that much of the ground intended 
for potatoes would lie fallow during that summer for want of the 
gowk storm. In Tory island, off the north of Donegal, said to be 
visited by the cuckoo about once in seven years, its presence is 
imagined to be a good omen for the crops.* 
The vernal appearance of the cuckoo in the north of Ireland, is 
as early as some authors report it to be in the south of England. 
My notes bear witness to its arrival in the neighbourhood of Bel- 
fast, in seven consecutive years — from 1832 to 1838 inclusive : on 
April 16th, 20th, 21st, 10th, 22nd, 26th, 30th, — and on the 
23rd in 1840 and 1842.f The adult birds generally leave the 
north of the island at the end of June : on the 1st of July, 1832, 
I saw two, and heard their call, near Dunfanaghy, in the north- 
* Mr. Hvndman. 
f Dr. Scouler informs me, that he heard the call of the cuckoo at Coimbra, in Portu- 
gal, on the 21st of March, 1845. In that year, it was heard about Belfast, on the 18th 
of April : — in the three following years, respectively, on the 13th ; 30th; and 29th. 
