270 
THE CUCKOO. 
would be difficult to say, whether we should call them soli- s 
tary birds or not. Usually indeed one only is seen; but not 
unfrequently three, four, or even more, will assemble upon a I 
tree, and make the air resound with their well-known notes, 1 
uttered sometimes as they remain perched, at others as they 
quiver through the air with an odd sort of wild fluttering ■; 
flight. It appears, however, from good evidence, that they 
either quit their Winter quarters together, or falling in with || 
each .other on the journey, land in little flocks. Some years 
ago, at dawn of day, early in the Spring, a gentleman living 
on the Cheshire side of the river Mersey, opposite Liverpool, 
was awakened by a kind of chattering noise, interrupted by 
the cry of — “ Cuckoo, cuckoo,” in a low plantation near his 
house, situated amongst the sand hills bordering the shores 
of the estuary, and on looking out observed a pretty large 
flock, which at sunrise, or soon after, all took to flight. 
Here, then, we have an instance of their being sociably 
inclined on their arrival ; and it would seem that they are 
equally so when about to leave us : for in a garden in the 
county of Down, in Ireland, from the 18th to the 22nd of 
July, not less than forty Cuckoos were observed for the 
most part amongst the gooseberry-bushes, probably collect- 
ing the grubs which often infest those plants, and not to eat 
gooseberries, as the gardener supposed; and it was remarked 
that they were almost all so sleepy and dozing, as to permit 
a very near approach, though not quite so near as to admit 
of being caught by the hand. There happened to be a late 
brood of Blackbirds, not quite fledged, in a nest. They were 
discovered by the Cuckoos, who destroyed all but two ; they 
were seen to tear them in pieces, the gardener actually 
rescuing one from their grasp, which had its leg and wing 
severed. Not above three or four were heard to cry, 
“ Cuckoo,” and then in a sort of hoarse unnatural tone. — 
The greatest number collected towards sunset, though many 
remained throughout the day. After the 22nd of July, only 
one or two remained, which were evidently smaller than the 
rest, probably the youngest. 
Singular as is its cry, so equally singular, and equally 
