MISCELLANEOUS NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 
223 
Zoology. 
Biography of a Cuclcoo .—The captive nursling whose life-history 
I am about to record, was bought by Mr. W. Wise, of Watford, 
early in July, 1883, from a person residing at Kingswood, near 
Leavesden. In all probability it would then he about a month old. 
ISTothing is known respecting its foster-parents, and the place of its 
birth could not he ascertained. During the months of its infancy, 
like other tyrants of the nursery, it demanded and received the 
most continuous and careful attention. It was found necessary to 
feed it about every fifteen minutes during the day, and many were 
the kindly visits paid to its cage during the early hours of the 
morning. Its food at this time consisted of green caterpillars and 
meal-worms, with hard-boiled eggs and raw beef. It struggled 
successfully through all the difficulties and vicissitudes of its first 
year, and, on the 19th of March, 1884, it vindicated its right to its 
popular name by pronouncing, for the first time, the well-known 
note “Cuckoo.” On the 27th of the same month it called “Cuckoo” 
at three different times, but it only essayed to call it on five other 
occasions during the year. In the year 1885 it repeated the word 
“Cuckoo” on only twelve occasions, commencing on the 26th of 
March, and closing on the 12th of June. In 1886 it commenced its 
call on the 28th of February, an unusually early date, and it uttered 
an occasional note, more or less continuously, during March, April, 
and May. At the commencement of June it ceased to call, became 
seriously unwell, and appeared to grow weaker and weaker every 
day. It was then treated to a liberal supply of cod-liver oil, and 
the beneficial effect of this restorative was marvellous. In July, 
when, in accordance with the old adage, it ought to have “pre¬ 
pared to fly,” it achieved the triumph of its life; on the 19th, 21st, 
and 23rd of that month it pronounced the word “Cuckoo” 81 times. 
It spoke its last word on the 18th of August, and, notwithstanding 
every possible care and attention, it died in peace, in its wicker 
cage, on the 29th of December, 1886, at the age of about 3| years. 
It was buried on the same day, but was afterwards exhumed and 
taken to Mr. Bowers for the purpose of being mounted. This was 
found to be altogether impossible, and the little bird rests at 
present in Dr. Brett’s surgery, where I recently had the opportu¬ 
nity of examining it. During the three and a half years of its 
existence it consumed on the average four eggs and pennyworth 
of raw beef per week. 
The task of rearing a young cuckoo in confinement is so extremely 
difficult, and so very rarely results in success, that I have thought 
it desirable to give these particulars in detail. I am indebted for 
them to Dr. A. T. Brett.— J. E. Litileboy, Hunton Bridge. 
Bogs entrapped while following Babbits .—I think that an incident 
which has lately occurred at Moor Park may be fairly placed in the 
category of natural history. I have never before heard of a similar 
occurrence. We have at Moor Park three pet fox-terriers, one of 
