THE CUCKOO.
[To THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR."]
"seeing is believing," I would like to corroborate what your correspondent says about the cuckoo in your issue of March 23rd. I may say I am a bird-lover, and have been suceemsful in taming a number of wild birds so that they take food from the hand—chaffinches, tomtits (three varieties), robins, also a black- bird and mavis. I was engaged feeding these birds in the garden on the 15th of last month, when a bird flew past within five yards which I at first sight took to be a hawk. Then I noticed the blue- grey colour (unusually blue I thought), the smaller size, and the gentler, quicker flapping of the ming. in flight, than that of a hawk, and at once said to a friend near me : "See, there's a cuckoo." The actions of the little birds also proved this, for they did not move, whereas when a hawk appears, however far away, they immediately scatter. On mentioning the matter to my brother a. little later, he said : "I heard the cuckoo when on the hill yester- day, but said nothing about it as I thought I would only be laughed at." It is very extraordinary, and it would be interesting to know. if this is an early arrival or a belated bird from last year.—I am,,
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