Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-09-22
For the VERMONT FARMER.
The Cuckoo.

s"~'N VI P""VBytlO HOiu pOeuc anu prose
writer's, Notwithstanding its musical talent i:
inferior to that Of many birds, and some oI
its habits are Of a questionable character.
Its music is plaintive minor; and its song
is short, consisting Of but three notes. These,
repeated from some thickot in coarse, gut.
tural monotony are not destitute of pleasur.
able emotions; yet they are excelled by
many birds that come to spend the summer
with us. The ssng of the cuckoo is by nc
means equal in rapturous melody to the mu.
sic of the robin that perches upon the near.
est tree, having no occasion to hide. for il
has committed no felonious act, and pours
forth for an hour its matin song, reminding
the sleeper that it is time to be up and STIR
ring. Nor to that of the chattoring swallow
that does not forget to return and nest under
the ridge of the old barn, and give the
owner its rapidly executed canto without
money or price.
1t is not strange that Logan should ad-
dress this bird as the "beauteous stranger of
the wood" for it is bird of considerable
beauty, of greyish color, and but little
smaller than the pigeons. Perhaps its coy
ness-for it is shy bird--has magnifed
both the quality of its music and its lovei-
ness, and drawn out little excess of rhet.
oric. But how could he write, "Thou hast
no sorrow in thy song" when its song is exc.
cuted in the minor scale, short, abrupt, re-
minding the listener Of dirges, owls and
melancholy days." instead Of the joy and
thanksgiving that flow from the throat of the
robin and bobolnk2 And then this poet
goes off in ecstacy, 30, could | fly, Id fly
with thee" as if this solitary birds requiem
is complete orchestra of soul.inspiring mu-
sic, filling the listener with joy unspeakable
and full of rapture.
1t may not be generally known that this
bird is under an indictment for aziness and
crime-the crime, as in human bipeds, grow
ing cut of the laziness. According to
Goldsmith she generally lays but one egg,
and this in the nest Of some other bird. If
this was the whole accusation it would be
more tolerabe But she is too lazy to sit
upon her egg generally laid in the nest Of
the water-wagtail, after devouring the eggs
of this bird that her own may receive the
whole care Of the credulous stepmother. II
the watcr-wagtail should lay an egg or two
after her nest is possessed by the cuckoo, the
instinct Of the cuckoo has led her to the
nest Of bird whose young are too small and
feeble to contend with the pugnacious young
intruder, and the rightful occupants are
thrown out to perish, while the intruder is
fed and nourished until it can take care oI
ITSELF
These young birds are said to require a
large amount of food, and if instinct did
not teach the young cuckoo in the "struggle
for life" to eject his foster-brothers, the
parents would be unable to supply all, and a
part must perish. The calamity most likely
to fall upon the young cuckoo and endanger
the existence of its species, is thus instinct.
lively ioreseen and prevented.
Some naturalists have denied that the
American cuckoo lays her eggs in other
birds nests, while others as strenuousy main.
tain it. 1t is asserted by Adolf Miller that
the cuckoo, occasionally at least, lays her
eggs upon the bare ground-and he appears
to have evidence Of. plural number-and
sits on them, and supplies her young with
food. But as there are no less than twenty.
eight sorts of them, it is probable that their
habits and instincts vary, and have given
rise to conflicting opinions. At the same
time, nothing is better demonstrated than
that some varieties of this bird are some
times, If not always, parasitic. Indeed
strange as it may seem, and contrary to our
views Of animal instinct, the same specie,
may have the flexible habit Of preparing hei
own nest, and at other times Of using the
nest of other birds This habit is not very
uncommon with several species Of birds, par
ticularly with the Gallinacee. Our domes
tic fowls are not punctiious, but lay promis
cuously together.
Here is a sketch Of young bird hatched
in some ivy near the residence of an Eng
lish gentleman, showing that the cuckoo j
entitled to the credit Of parasitic habits
also showing the gluttony and pugnacity o
the young birds
at required the united efforts of the oil
birds from morning to night to satisfy hi
hunger, and never saw birds moro indie
tatigable. When the young cuckoo ha'
nearly attained his full size, he appeared OIL
the little nest like giant in a cock-boat
Just before he could fly he was put into
cage, in which situation the old birds con
tinued to feed him, till by some accident hi
made his escape and remained in high elr
tree near the house, Here the water.wag
tails fed him with the same assiduity for
fortnight afterwards. This cuckoo was yer
pugnacous, and would strike with his wing
and open his mouth in great anger wheneve
| put my hand near him."
Cautious in returning to its summer resi-
7 dence, the familiar notes of the cuckoo indi
cate the sure advent of spring, and admO1
ish the farmer that seed-time is upon hin
But unfortunately, the natural history c
this bird takes some of the poetry out {
him. SEC.
Wilmington.
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