THE CUCKOO. 
61 
known call. Its note is heard earlier or later as the season 
seems to be more or less forward, and the weather more or 
less inviting. From the cheerful voice of this bird '.he 
farmer may be instructed in the real advancement of the 
year. His note is pleasant though uniform; and, from an 
association of ideas, seldom occurs to the memory without 
reminding us of the sweets of summer. 
The female cuckoo makes no nest of her own. She repairs, 
for that purpose, to the nest of some other bird, generally the 
water-wagtail or hedge sparrow, and having devoured the 
e ggs of the owner, laysher own in their place. She usually lays 
but one, which is speckled and of the size of a blackbird’s. 
This the lond foolish bird hatches with great assiduity, and, 
when excluded, finds no difference in the great ill-looking 
changeling from her own. To supply this voracious crea- 
ture, the credulous nurse toils with unusual labour, no way 
sensible that she is feeding up an enemy to her race, and 
°ne of the most destructive robbers of her future progeny. 
it was once doubted, whether these birds were carni- 
Voi'ous; but Reaumur was at the pains of breeding up seve- 
Vi d, and found that they would feed upon bread or corn ; 
but flesh and insects were their favourite nourishment. 
Their gluttony is not to be wondered at, when we consider 
the capacity of their stomach, which is enormous, and 
reaches from the breast bone to the vent. 
The cuckoo, when fledged and fitted for flight, follows its 
supposed parent but for a little time; its appetites for insect 
food increasing, as it finds no great chance for a supply in 
Unitating its little instructor, it parts good friends, the step- 
c ]>ild seldom offering any violence to its nurse. Nevertheless, 
a ‘l the little birds of the grove seem to consider the young 
c Uckoo as an enemy, and revenge the cause of their kind by 
their repeated insults. They pursue it whenever it flies, 
a °d oblige it to take shelter in the thickest branches of some 
pcighbourino 1 tree. All the smaller birds form the train of 
tts pursuers : but the wry-neck, in particular, is found the 
mo st active in the chase; and thence it has been called by 
Jjtany the cuckoo’s attendant and provider. But it is very 
far from following with a friendly intention ; it only pur- 
ges as an insulter, or a spy, to warn all its little compa- 
uion s of the cuckoo’s depreciations. 
. Such are the manners of this bird while it continues to re- 
s ‘de, or to be seen amongst us ; but early, at the approach 
winter, it totally disappears, and its passage can be traced 
no other country. Some suppose that it lies hid in hollow 
tle es : and otlieis that it passes into warmer climates. Which 
