THE TRUE CUCKOOS. 
^iJo Cuckoo feeds entirely upon insects. It is parasitic 
pla species of Magpies and Crows, sometimes even 
^ Raven. Magpies, however, and 
its the Blue-winged Magpie {Cya?ioJ>olius cyanus) are 
frequent victims, and Mr. Saunders says that he has 
Cuckoo’s eggs deposited in a Magpie’s nest along 
an ^ rightful owner’s. Lord Lilford, who has given 
account of the habits of the present species, says 
neVr*^^^ greatest number of Cuckoo’s eggs found by him in one 
Wi eight, with five of a Magpie. “In almost every case in 
•^Rcs ^ found eggs of both species together, the Cuckoo’s 
™ore advanced towards hatching than those of the 
*>aid h fi^Prietor of the nest.” The voice of the male bird is 
the f , S^ut'hers to be a harsh “ kark-kark," and that of 
Pt’ated'^^^*^ to be like the words “ burroo-burroo" rapidly re- 
®est.-_]s[one; the bird being parasitic, as described above. 
— Although bearing some resemblance to those of the 
fheP^'ir Creat Spotted Cuckoo can be told by 
®"'Ptical shape, and by the smoother texture of their shell, 
ajjjj Sround-colour is pale greenish-blue, with spots of brown, 
eyg V'^'^stlying purplish-grey spots ; in some cases the spots are 
'ecteH^ ‘^^^'•tibuted over the egg, while in others they are col- 
frg round the larger end, imitating the Magpie’s egg in the 
Cuck*^^*' P°®®sssion of a zone. The eggs of the Great Spotted 
t °° considerably in size, as will be seen by the measure- 
• Axis, I '2 5-1 '4 inch; diam., o'95-i'os. 
The true cuckoos, genus cuculus. 
Cttculus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p). 168 (1760). 
Type, C. canorns (L.). 
thcr Cuckoos have no crest, and are distinguished fur- 
tiiemby rounded nostril, which is surrounded by a swollen 
^hapcq‘^'^®’ wings and tail are long, and the latter is fan- 
found in nearly every country of the Old World, 
P'^rate Common Cuckoo, inhabiting the tem- 
‘^gions of the north during summer, and migrating 
