The cuckoo seems to be but another form of the hawk,[1]
which at a certain season of the year changes its shape; it
being the fact that during this period no other hawks are to be
seen, except, perhaps, for a few days only; the cuckoo, too,
itself is only seen for a short period in the summer, and does
not make its appearance after. It is the only one among the
hawks that has not hooked talons; neither is it like the rest
of them in the head, or, indeed, in any other respect, except
the colour only, while in the beak it bears a stronger resemblance to the pigeon. In addition to this, it is devoured by the
hawk, if they chance at any time to meet; this being the only
one among the whole race of birds that is preyed upon by those
of its own kind. It changes its voice also with its appearance,
comes out in the spring, and goes into retirement at the rising
of the Dog-star. It always lays its eggs in the nest of another
bird, and that of the ring-dove[2] more especially,-mostly a single
egg, a thing that is the case with no other bird; sometimes however, but very rarely, it is known to lay two. It is supposed,
that the reason for its thus substituting its young ones, is the
fact that it is aware[3] how greatly it is hated by all the other
birds; for even the very smallest of them will attack it.
Hence it is, that it thinks its own race will stand no chance
of being perpetuated unless it contrives to deceive them, and for
this reason builds no nest of its own: and besides this, it is
a very timid animal. In the meantime, the female bird, sitting
on her nest, is rearing a supposititious and spurious progeny;
while the young cuckoo, which is naturally craving and greedy,
snatches away all the food from the other young ones, and by
so doing grows plump and sleek, and quite gains the affections
of his foster-mother; who takes a great pleasure in his fine
1.
2.
3.
4.