234 Mr, Jenner’s Obfervations on the - 
month *), yet I have known an inftance of an egg’s being 
hatched in the neft of a Hedge-fparrow fo late as the 15th. 
And a farther proof of their continuing to lay till the time of 
their leaving us may, I think, be fairly deduced from the ap- 
pearances on difte6tioii of the female Cuckoo above-mentioned, 
killed on the 3d of July. 
Among the many peculiarities of the young Cuckoo, there 
is one that (hews itfelf very early. Long before it leaves the 
neft, it frequently, when irritated, aftumes the manner of a 
bird of prey, looks ferocious, throws itfelf back, and pecks at 
any thing prelented to it with great vehemence, often at the 
lame time making a chuckling noife like a young hawk. 
Sometimes, when difturbed in a -fmaller degree, it makes a 
kind of hiding noife, accompanied with a heaving motion of 
the whole body f* The growth of the young Cuckoo is un- 
commonly rapid. 
The chirp is plaintive, like that of the Hedge-fparrow; but 
the found is not acquired from the fofter-parent, as it is the 
fame whether it be reared by the Hedge-fparrow, or any other 
bird. 
It never acquires the adult note during its ftay in this 
country. 
The ftomachs of young Cuckoos contain a great variety of 
food. On differing one that was brought up by Wagtails, 
% • 
* Though I am unacquainted with an inftance, yet I conceive it poffible, 
that here and there a {haggling Cuckoo may be feen after this time. 
+ Young animals, being deprived of other modes of defence, are probably 
endowed with the powers of exciting fear in their common enemies. If you 
.but {lightly touch the young Hedge-hog, for inftance, before it becomes fully 
armed with its prickly coat, the little animal jumps up with a hidden fpring, and 
imitates very clofcly the found of the word bujb ! as we pronounce it in a loud 
whifper. This dilpofition is apparent in many other animals. 
and 
