. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. 328 NATl'ItAL HISTORY. when it flies (jiiickly to tlie spot, seizes them, and retiirns to its perch, without spending much time over the operation or climbing about after tliem. The bird is so constantly on tlie move that it always manages to obtain sufficient food—which is saying a great deal, for its stomach is large and its powers of digestion almost unlimited.' Thus it would be a most useful bird, did it not cause so nmch damage while ; The Cuckoo resembles a Hawk so much in flight that even a practised eye sometimes fail
. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. 328 NATl'ItAL HISTORY. when it flies (jiiickly to tlie spot, seizes them, and retiirns to its perch, without spending much time over the operation or climbing about after tliem. The bird is so constantly on tlie move that it always manages to obtain sufficient food—which is saying a great deal, for its stomach is large and its powers of digestion almost unlimited.' Thus it would be a most useful bird, did it not cause so nmch damage while ; The Cuckoo resembles a Hawk so much in flight that even a practised eye sometimes fails to distinguish it from a Kestiel at first sight. There is, however, a certain jjointed look about the body. GREAT SPOTTED CUCKOO. of the bird which distinguishes it from a Hawk; if near enough, the flat, obtuse head of the latter making the bird appear as if it had no head at all. Lastly, one word as to the winter home of the Cuckoo. It is always known in England as the " harbinger of .spring," and with the exception of the Swift, who veiy rarely makes a mistake in the period of his advent, there is no bii-d whose ai-rival may be considered so certain a sign of that genial season of the year. Just as the Swifts, however, sometimes come in for some cold weather, which proves fatal to many of them, so the Cuckoos have been known to have been detained by cold winds in the south of England, where they have remained in flocks until the weather was more seasonable and they could distribute themselves over the country. They are seldom heard of in the height of summer; and, as the old rhyme says, " in June he changes his tune, in August go he ; And it seems certain that this bird leaves England early in that month, but not entirely, as young birds—perhaps the later offspring—are seen as late as September. The old ones arrive in Egypt on their way south before the young birds, which are somewhat later ; and in Berkshire the writer shot three young Cuckoo
Size: 1849px × 1352px
Photo credit: © Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjecta, booksubjectanimals
