The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-11-09
CUCKOO FOOLS THE CROW.
Story Of Bird in India That Robs a
Nest Of EGGS.


A recently published book on India
thus tells how the kohl. or Indian
cuckoo. fools the crow and gets its
eggs into the latter's nest, where they
are hatched and the young are reared
by the credulous crows: when
everything is ready and desirable
nest has been chosen the cock kohl,
conspicuous in his shining black
plumage and crimson eyes, seats him
self on a prominent perch, while the
hen, in modest speckled gray garb,
turks hidden among dense masses of
neighboring foliage. He then lifts up
his voice and shouts aloud. his voice
becoming more and more insistent
with every repetition of his call, and
very soon attracting the attention of
the owners of the nest. which rush
out to the attack and chase him away.
Now comes the chance for his wife,
who forthwith slips in to deposit her
egg. Very often she does this sue
cessfully before the crows have re-
turned, but every now and then she
Is caught in the act and driven off
like her husband. uttering volleys of
shrill outcries. The extreme differ
ences between the plumage Of the
cock and that of the hen in this case
leave no room for doubt as to the
part that each sex plays in accom-.
| plishing their felonious purpose; that
Of the male being clearly to distract
attention by his conspicuous appear.
ance and imperative outcry. and that
Of the female to utilize her sober col
oring as a means ofslying hidden until
she sees favorable chance for in
vading the coveted nest"
Crows are so plentiful in India that
professional crow catchers are en-
ployed to reduce their number. The
| expert arrives about sundown, pro-
vided with a sufiiciency Of bird lime
and bundle of bamboo rods fitting
into one another like the joints of a
fishing rod, and when the crows have
settled down for the night but while
certain amount of light remains. he
sets to work. He quietly approaches
! the foot of the tree he has chosen,
and having determined on an eligible
point by careful scrutiny, applies
some Of the lime to the slimmest of
his rods and goes on quietly and
steadily passing IL upward among the
branches fitting in Joint after Joint of
the series until the tip has arrived at
| striking distance. when sudden,
slight inclination brings IT. into ad.
hesive contact with his victim, which
is forthwith hauled down by main
force. struggling and expostulating
widely as 1t descends. The capture
and outcries of one after another
cause so little alarm among their
neighbors that several of them may
be taken almost from the same perch.
OF the Indian storks, or adjutants the
book already quoted says: Their ap-
pearance is a strange medley-a bi-
zarre combination of the greatest
Were one to see only their wings
with their magnificent proportions
and their lovely tints OF gray and
lavender, one would regard them with
unmixed admiration. but the head
clothed in disgustingly scruffy skin
and struggling hairs. the Indignantly
sneaking expression of the pallid
eyes and the ponderousness of the
huge beak have an almost mesmeric
effect in distracting attention from any
redeeming features in the picture.
Even the splendid gamboge, orange,
and vermillion hues that paint the
distended pouch as it hangs down in
front of the chest, in place of redeem
ing the hideous and almost indecent
character of the appendage only
serve to accentuate the horror by at.
tracing attention to its presence"