COMMON CUCKOO.
CUCULUS CANORUS, Linn.
Cueulus canorus, Linn. S. N. i. p. 168 (1766); Naum. v.
p. 196; Macg. iii. p. 109; Hewitson, i. p. 251; Yarr.
ed. 4, ii. p. 387; Dresser, v. p. 199.
Coucou gris, French; Kuckuk, German ; Cuco, Cuclillo,
Spanish.
Although I for some time flattered myself in the
delusion that I was, from close and constant observation,
acquainted with certain facts in connection with
the habits of this well-known but very eccentric visitor,
that were but little known to my fellow-lovers of birds,
I must frankly confess that I find every scrap of my
supposed “ private information” set admirably before
the public by my friend Professor A. Newton, in his
article on this species in the 4th edition of Yarrell’s
‘ British Birds,’ vol. ii., with many additional details of
which I was previously ignorant. As I imagine that
all those who care sufficiently for ornithology to subscribe
to my book are either possessed of, or have
ready access to, the work to which I have referred, and
as I do not profess to write a history of my subject, I
will merely state for the information of those to whom
birds are interesting only as beautiful creatures, and
not as objects of study or observation, that the male