7 APRIL 1990, Page 22

One hundred years ago

A CORRESPONDENT of the Times says that a cuckoo was heard as early as on Thursday week in the neighbour- hood of Surbiton. Even if the cuckoo heard was a real cuckoo, and not a boy mimicking his cry, or a good cuckoo- clock, we should not be disposed to assume that the winter is over on that account. We do not know on what ground it is assumed that birds have better prophetic instincts in relation to weather than human beings. At all events, they are either by no means exempt from slips of instinct, or they do not object to a kind of cold which to human beings is very formidable. We have heard nightingales shouting away through the bitterest of east winds.

The Spectator, 5 April 1890