A YOUNG CUCKOO.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—It may interest many of your readers to learn that, walking in our kitchen-garden this afternoon (September 22nd), a strange bird flew up almost from under my feet, and dropped again about twenty yards off. I called to the gardener, and following it up, it rose again and disappeared in some trees. I pronounced it to be a young cuckoo, for I know the cuckoo's flight very well. The gardener thought it might be a young hawk ; but I am sure he is wrong. The singular thing about it is that a cuckoo should have been seen here so late in the year. My opinion is that the egg was laid in a hedge-sparrow's nest and hatched probably a month ago. He is over-young yet to start off on his Southern migration. I wonder if this is a singular case.—I am, Sir, &c., E. M. Farnham Royal.
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