THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
to tree. Its ringing whistling call, which consists of a succession of running 
notes, the last and highest of which are several times rapidly repeated, is 
often uttered while the bird is at rest among the branches, and also occasion- 
ally while on the wing. Its food consists of caterpillars, Phasmidm, and 
coleopterous insects, which are generally procured among the leafy branches 
of the trees, and in searching for which it displays considerable activity and 
great power of traversing the smaller limbs. When desirous of repose after 
feeding, it perches on the topmost dead branches of the trees, on the posts 
and rails of the fences, or any other prominent site whence it can survey all 
around. Its flight is straight and rapid, and not unlike that of Cuculus 
canorus. In respect of its reproduction it is strictly parasitic, devolving 
the task of incubation on the smaller birds, many species of which are known 
to be the foster-parents ; among them may be enumerated the various 
Melithreptif Ptilotes, Maluri, Acanthizce, etc. After the young Cuckoo has 
left its nest, it selects some low dead branch in an open glade of the forest 
as a convenient situation for its various foster-parents to supply it with 
food, for the procuring and supplying of which the smaller birds appear to 
have entered into a mutual compact.” 
Barrett, in the Emu, Vol. V., p. 20, 1905, gave some very good “ Cuckoo 
Notes ” dealing with the general characteristics of ejection, etc., and this 
may be quoted as typical of the results achieved, of which so much has been 
written : “In early September the melancholy notes of the Pallid Cuckoo 
{Cuculus palUdus) were heard among the multitudinous bird voices of the 
valley. During the month, individuals arrived in increasing numbers, and 
were evidently searching for suitable nests in which to deposit their eggs, 
for a day seldom passed now without a Cuckoo being seen darting through 
the trees hotly pursued by a mob of small birds (Wrens, Honey-eaters, Tits, 
etc.). While watching one of these chases the question arose, are these birds 
pursuing the Cuckoo because they are really conscious of its intention to 
shirk parental cares by leaving its egg in one of their nests, or do they mistake 
it for some bird of prey ? If the former be the case, why do birds whose 
nests have been wronged, remain apparently ignorant of the nature of the 
alien egg ; and when the young Cuckoo is hatched and has murdered its 
foster-brethren, why do they guard and feed the parasite with as much 
sohcitude as they would their own offspring had these survived ? This is 
certainly a difficult question, and to complicate the problem we found 
several nests containing only addled Cuckoo’s eggs, which would lead one to 
suppose that the owners of the nests had detected the imposition and 
abandoned their homes Being anxious to obtain photographs of 
the early life of the young Cuckoo .... a nest was kept under close 
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