62 
NATUltAL HISTORY. 
of these opinions is true is very uncertain, as there are no 
tacts related on either side that can be totally relied on. To 
support the opinion that they remain torpid during the winter 
at home, Willoughby introduces the following story, which 
lie delivers upon the credit of another. “ T?ie servants of 
a gentleman in the country, having stocked up, in one of 
their meadows, some old dry rotten willows, thought pro- 
per, on a certain occasion, to carry them home. In heatino- 
a stove, two logs of this timber were put into the furnace 
beneath, and lire applied as usual ; but soon, to the great 
sui prise of the family, was heard the voice of a cuckoo, 
singing three times from under the stove. Wonderiim at so 
extraordinary a cry in winter time, the servants ran and 
diew the willow logs from the furnace, and in the midst, 
one of them saw something move : wherefore, taking an axe 
they opened the hole, and thrusting in their hands, first 
they plucked out nothing but feathers; afterwards they got 
hold of a living animal ; and this was the cuckoo that had 
waked so very opportunely for its own safety. It was, 
indeed, continues our historian, “brisk and lively, but 
wholly naked and bare of feathers, and without any winter 
provision in its hole.” This cuckoo the boys kept two years 
afterwards alive in the stove; but whether it repaid them 
wuh a second song, the author of the tale has not thought 
nt to inform us. ° 
oimilTnnT pr< ? bable °P.''y o " on this subject is, that as 
: 1 n a a nc , woodc « cks f.ft their habitation in winter, so 
also does the cuckoo ; but to what country it retires or 
whether it has been ever seen on its journey twe auesdons 
that we are wholly incapable of resolving. ’ ^ 
Of this bird there are many kinds in various parts of the 
woi Id, not only differing in their colours but their size. 
not ess tha ? spedes - There « a ^ ge 
finn/v k °° , 111 thC S0Ut . h of S P ain ; and at the Cape of 
T ( c Hope there is a black crested species. Only the 
common and spotted cuckoo have been seen in Europe. 
■ T " e Woodpeckers. These birds live chiefly udou the 
52S” the body Of trees; and for Ss 1 £ 
bill mil e Wlt ' ast,al ght, hard, strong, angular andsharp 
v V Zt te re :" e 1 d lliey have a eong,., J J 
vei y gieat length ; round, ending in a sharp, stiff, bonv thorn 
dentated on each side to strike ants and insects when di "’ 
ed from them- cells. Their legs are short and strong fortfe 
purposes of climbing Their toes stand two forward' and 
two backward; which is particularly serviceable in holding 
