to which the enormous pectoral muscles, those which constitute what is termed the breast-cut in a Fowl, and the contraction of which imparts the propulsive stroke in flying, are attached-being less developed, and the wing-bones shorter. The similitude of their alimentary organs is also considerable; and both are remarkable for the diminutive size of the brain, which in the Cuckoo barely outweighs a single eye (being only about twenty grains), and in the Moth-hunter is reduced to its minimum in the class of birds. There are certain other resemblances observable, but on the present occasion I deem it unnecessary to pursue the subject further.

Both the Cuckoos and the Moth-hunters pertain to that extensive order of birds which, in an arrangement of the class which I had lately the honour of submitting to the Zoological Society, I designated Strepitores, (or Screechers); an order characterized by numerous physiological agreements, but which embraces many forms externally dissimilar-that is to say, in those adaptive characters which have reference to a special mode of life. It is only in this group, among what have been termed perching birds, that the vocal organ is simple, or furnished with only a single pair of muscles; in consequence of which its various members are unable to inflect the voice, and can only utter some peculiar cry, as we observe in the Cuckoo. Now, throughout the long series of groups which compose this order-that is to say, in all those Insessores of Mr. Vigors' arrangement which have a simple vocal apparatus, the brain is less highly organized than in the contiguous ordinal divisions; and there is a corresponding marked inferiority in the intellectual capacity; for while the extreme docility of the Parrots, and of the Crows, Finches, &c. is notorious to every one, I am unaware that a single instance can be adduced of any species belonging to the distinct order adverted to, manifesting the least capability of receiving instruction. It is true that they may be tamed, may exhibit attachment to one person more than to another, that some of them, at least, will readily distinguish those they are accustomed to, while they evince distrust of a stranger; but I am greatly mistaken if any one of them could be trained to any purpose, could be taught to perform a single action that is not natural to them. Whoever has observed a Kingfisher, a Cuckoo, or a Woodpecker, in a state of captivity, will readily acknowledge the force of this remark.

With respect to those genera which have been commonly more immediately associated with the Cuckoos, it will be sufficient to remark that the genus Cuculus of Linnæus comprehended several, which have since been separated with propriety, though still brought

together as a higher group under the designation Cuculidæ. From them, however, it is necessary to detach the Honey-guides (Indicator) of Africa, which are much more nearly related to the Woodpeckers, approximating the Cuckoos only in secondary or superficial characters; also the Courols (Leptosomus) of Madagascar, which are more intimately allied to the Puff-birds of America; the Rain Fowl (Scythrops) of New Holland, which, merely from having a great beak, and for no other reason whatever, has sometimes been placed among the Toucans, is, in every essential detail of its conformation, a true Cuckoo. The degree of affinity which the West Indian Ani, also, bear to this group, must continue problematical, until we know something of their interior anatomy.

As thus restricted, then, a constant character of the Cuculidæ (or Cuckoo family) is to have the tail composed of only ten feathers, in which they further resemble the Moth-hunters; unless, indeed, the Ani prove to be admissible, which have but eight. It is only in the series of groups which compose my order Strepitores that, throughout the class of birds, the tail is ever composed of less than twelve feathers. In the Cuckoo family, and in the neighbouring one of Puff-birds, the clothing feathers are single, as in the Pigeons, being wholly destitute of the secondary shaft, or accessory plume, which, in the Moth-hunters (as in the Swifts), is considerably developed. All have the toes disposed in pairs-that is to say, two forward and two behind, that which corresponds to the outer toe in the genera lity of birds being reversed, as in the Parrots; but none of them climb, though some have the foot expressly modified for running along the ground. There is a general tendency, also, to a lateral disposition of the two hindward toes, which is a characteristic structure of the Courols and Puff-birds.

The genuine Cuckoos, or those which are included in the genus Cuculus as now limited, are peculiar to the eastern hemisphere, over which they are generally diffused, and more numerously southward of the equator, several species of them inhabiting New Holland.Among them is a peculiar group, consisting of birds of diminutive size, found chiefly in South Africa, which are remarkable for the gorgeous brilliancy of their emerald-green plumage. The rest are clad in the unassuming sober livery of the species of this country.

The British Cuckoo is very generally distributed over the greater part of Europe, and considerably to the northward of the British islands; but it is doubtful whether it reaches far into Asia, where, however, there are two or three closely allied species, one of which (at least) utters the same cry. It passes the winter in Africa, at

A few

which season none are found north of the Mediterranean. breed in the southern hemisphere, towards the Cape of Good Hope. In most parts of Britain it is a bird of rather common occurrence, frequenting woodland districts, and waste lands interspersed with trees. It is plentiful as far north as Sutherland, but a rare and uncertain visitant in Shetland and Orkney.

Its welcome note is first heard, generally, about the second week in April, but if the weather prove chilly and ungenial it continues silent for some time: in the more northern localities its arrival may be somewhat later. The old birds are generally all gone before the end of July, but the young remain till September, at which time they leave the country in small flocks. Some of the adult birds, also, both arrive and depart in flocks, but others migrate singly. The truth is, that many of the young are not even hatched at the time their parents depart; but as fast as they acquire the requisite strength they assemble and migrate, so that there is no particular accumulation of them in the autumn, as would otherwise be the case.

Cuckoos frequently assemble at each other's call during the spring and summer, whence it is not unusual to perceive several on the same tree, or clump of trees; but the companies of them soon disperse as readily as they form. Their well-known cry, from which is derived their name, is common to the two sexes, but is more frequently reiterated by the male; and when they congregate as just related, we often hear this note stammered forth, as it were, with eagerness, its first syllable being broken into two or three. This cry is very hoarsely emitted before it finally ceases, and its first syllable is then, also, sometimes repeated two or three times. It is peculiar to the adult bird, and is first emitted while they are shedding their nestling plumage.

The Cuckoo has also another equally characteristic cry, which is delivered only during flight, and generally as it takes wing: it is a peculiar tremulous whistle, very full and melodious, and, according to my judgment, musical in the extreme. Sometimes the cry

" cuckoo," also, is repeated while taking a steady flight: the other sound being chiefly uttered when gliding through a thicket. As remarked by Sir W. Jardine, these birds "are seldom seen on the ground; but, when obliged to be near it, alight on some hillock or twig, where they will continue for a considerable time; swinging round their body in a rather ludicrous manner, with lowered wings, and expanded tail, and uttering a rather low monotonous sound— 'Turning round and round, with cutty-coo ;' '

in short, evincing by these gestures their near relationship of affinity to the Australian Rain Fowl. The voice of the young is an unpleasant shrill twitter, at once recognizable, and which is very apt to betray the place of concealment.

The Cuckoo's food consists principally of insects, chiefly, however, the larger caterpillars, both smooth and hairy. These it first kills by shaking and knocking them violently against the bough on which it is perched, and then renders them thoroughly pliant by passing them several times through the bill, before it swallows them. It also feeds largely in the spring upon the common May Chaffer (Melolontha vulgaris), and has been seen to pursue and capture Dragonflies on the wing. As the season advances it will also attack various kinds of fruit, as Cherries (of which it is particularly fond) and Currants. It appears, also, to devour bird's eggs, as well as callow nestlings, of which more presently; but caterpillars form decidedly its principal and main food, the exuvia of which it casts up in the manner of a Hawk, in oval pellets, of the size of a Sparrow's egg. It is in search of these that the Cuckoo is so often seen about fruittrees, at the time of its first arrival; and it doubtless renders them an efficient service, as it not only preys upon those which have grown to some size, but also, in the spring, may be frequently observed deliberately picking out the newly-hatched larvæ from their webs; an operation which has been construed by gardeners into "sucking the blossom," if any meaning can attach to such a phrase. Whilst feeding on a tree, the Cuckoo leans very forward upon the bough on which it is sitting, as it examines the foliage for caterpillars, its tail being sometimes raised; and it frequently takes surprising leaps from bough to bough, considering the shortness of its legs. I have never seen it attempt to climb in any sort of way, nor walk up a branch, using its feet alternately; but conceive that the object of its having the outer toe reversed is merely to enable it to grasp its perch more firmly, when leaning so much forward.

Respecting the carnivorous propensity of the Cuckoo, and also the habit already mentioned, of performing its migrations in society (of which latter fact I have abundant additional evidence), it may be interesting to quote a passage from A Familiar History of Birds, the production of the present Bishop of Norwich. "Some years ago," relates his lordship, "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 sun-rise or soon after, all took to flight.

"Here, then," continues his lordship, "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 collecting the grubs which often infest those plants, and not to eat Gooseberries, as the gardener supposed," and also (I must beg leave to interpolate) myself suspect; "and it was remarked that they were almost all so sleepy and drowsy 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, which 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." I should observe, in reference to this, that the Gullet of the Cuckoo is remarkably slender, notwithstanding the capacity of its gape, being insufficiently wide to admit the finger: it cannot, therefore, swallow a large morsel. His lordship continues-" Not above three or four were heard to cry cuckoo, and these 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 weaker than the rest," perhaps backward in their moult.

In The Magazine of Natural History a particular tree is mentioned, which, in its neighbourhood, is popularly known as "the Cuckoo tree," from the circumstance of its being annually the resort, perhaps resting-place, of a flock of Cuckoos, on the occasion of their re-appearance in the locality. It is well known that migratory birds not only return seasonally to their former haunts, but also pursue, in general, the exact same route.

The alleged ovivorous appetite of this species next claims our attention. That many eggs of other birds are destroyed by it I have positive evidence; and I once obtained a female the breast of which was smeared with yolk of egg. But this does not amount to proof of the fact that it eats them; and I have sought in vain for traces of this food in the stomach. Popular opinion intimates that the Cuckoo is an egg-devourer; but the circumstance of its destroying them suffices to account for this. There are better grounds for supposing so from analogy. Thus Wilson, the ornithologist of America, VOL. IX., NO. xxv. 8