YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO. 
129 
The singular, I will not say unnatural, conduct of 
the European cuckoo ( cuculus canonist) which never 
constructs a nest for itself, but drops its eggs in those 
of other birds, and abandons them to their mercy and 
management, is so universally known, and so proverbial, 
that the whole tribe of cuckoos have, by some incon- 
siderate people, been stigmatized as destitute of all 
parental care and affection. Without attempting to 
account for this remarkable habit of the European 
species, far less to consider as an error what the wisdom 
of Heaven has imposed as a duty upon the species, 1 
will only remark, that the bird now before us builds 
its own nest, hatches its own eggs, and rears its own 
young ; and, in conjugal and parental affection, seems 
nowise behind any of its neighbours of the grove. 
Early in May, they begin to pair, when obstinate 
battles take place among the males. About the tenth 
of that month, they commence buildipg. The nest is 
usually fixed among the horizontal branches of an 
apple tree ; sometimes in a solitary thorn, crab, or 
cedar, in some retired part of the woods. It is con- 
structed, with little art, and scarcely any concavity, of 
small sticks and twigs, intermixed with green weeds, 
and blossoms of the common maple. On this almost 
fiat bed, the eggs, usually three or four in number, are 
placed; these are of a uniform greenish blue colour, 
and of a size proportionable to that of the bird. While 
the female is sitting, the male is generally not far 
distant, and gives the alarm, by his notes, when any 
person is approaching. The female sits so close, that 
you may almost reach her with your hand, and then 
precipitates herself to the ground, feigning lameness, 
to draw you away from the spot, fluttering, trailing 
her wings, and tumbling over, in the manner of the 
partridge, woodcock, and many other species. Both 
parents unite in providing food for the young. This 
consists, for the most part, of caterpillars, particularly 
such as infest apple trees. The same insects constitute 
the chief part of their own sustenance. They are 
accused, and with some justice, of sucking the eggs of 
VOL. i, i 3 
