Mig. c. upper air 7.5
Throat, forehead, back edge wing, flanks, under base tail white; wings, tail deep shining-green; under, back grayish-brown; short tail ends in spines; f. smaller. Flying insects.
1
25
228 White-rumped Swift (Australian), Cypselus pacificus, E. Sib., Jap., Indo-China to A., T., N.Z.
[~228 Apus pacificus.]
Mig. r. upper air 7
Upper brownish-black; rump, throat white; under brown; long forked tail; indistinct collar; f., sim. Flying insects.
Few birds have attracted more notice, or have been more written about, than Cuckoos. To dwellers in lands with a dreary winter, the Cuckoo heralds the spring, so its call is most welcome. Then, too, the mysteries connected with its upbringing have proved of interest to all Nature and bird lovers. Its call, "Cuckoo," aptly described as the "most imitable of bird calls," has also assisted in making the bird a favorite.
The Pallid Cuckoo belongs to the same genus as the well-known Cuckoo of England. It also resembles that bird in appearance. Its note, however, is quite different. At times it seems to be endeavoring to run up a chromatic scale, so, in some districts, it is called the Scale Bird. At other times, after three running notes, it repeats one note strongly. So persistent is it in calling that it is called in places the Brain-fever Bird. Last September, in Castlemaine, it called all night in the street trees. Few, however, seemed to notice it, and fewer still knew what was uttering the persistent call.
Possibly other birds recognize the Cuckoo as an enemy, or possibly its remarkable superficial resemblance to a Hawk causes birds to chase it. However, in some cases, possibly, the male Cuckoo does not object to being chased. He draws the birds away, while the female Cuckoo quietly places an egg in a convenient nest, and retires unmolested.