THE CUCKOO FEEDIXG ITS OWN YOUXG. 11 



my own theory on the subject, and supported it to the best of my ability, by 

 such anah)gical reasoning, as I trust will be sufficient to shew that it is in 

 accordance witli nature's usual mode of operation in similar cases, and I shall 

 feel much gratification should my readers agree with me, in thinking that it is 

 the probable explanation of the extraordinary power which has been the subject 

 of our inquiry. 



THE CUCKOO, (CUCULU8 CANORUS,) FEEDING 

 ITS OWN YOUNG. 



BY J. MC' INTOSH, ESQ, 



It is generally supposed by Ornithologists that the "Cuckoo" does not feed 

 its young ; that having deposited its egg in the nest of the Hedge Accentor, 

 or some other small bird, it leaves it to the care of a foster-mother, » On this 

 subject I am in possession of proofs to overthrow this long-established belief. 



In the summer of 1850, in the month of July, a Hedge Accentor con- 

 structed its nest in a holly hedge, about two feet from the ground, and about 

 fourteen from an adjoining garden wall. Immediately on its being finished, 

 and before the owner of it had time to deposit her second egg, a Cuckoo, 

 Avhich had for some days past been watching with anxious eye the operations 

 of the Accentor, took the opportunity, during the temporary absence of the 

 said Hedge Accentor, and quietly deposited in the nest her egg, which occupied 

 but a few minutes, and immediately took her departure, uttering at the 

 SJinie time her well-known cry of ^cuckoo, cuckoo,' in rapid succession, to a 

 neighbouring elm tree. Of this egg the Hedge Accentor took no notice, but 

 deposited her four eggs, and connnenced incubation. In due time this important 

 office was completed, and three Hedge Accentors and the Cuchoo were brought 

 to life, (or rather light,) the fourth egg of the Accentor proving addled. In 

 the course of thres days the young Accentors by some means, but by what 

 means I could not ascertain, took their departure, as did also their mother, 

 which I never saw again, nor any remains of the young; but the addled egg 

 I found on the ground immediately beneath the nest. This departure took 

 place in the evening or early in the morning. On the fourth day seeing the 

 old Cuckoo frequently fluttering about the hedge which contained the Hedge 

 Accentor's nest and the young Cuckoo, I was induced to watch her proceedings 

 with some little care and attention. Taking my stand not at a great distance 

 from the nest under the wall alluded to, in a few minutes the old Cuckoo 

 flew over the wall to the nest ; I immediately applied a pocket telescope to 

 my eye, and very distinctly saw the old bird feed its young. This operation 

 1 watched some time every day, creeping nearer and nearer till I could see 

 distinctly the actual feeding of the young without the aid of telescope or 

 spectacles. I now became anxious to know whence the bird procured its food, 

 which, I imagined from its frequent visits ,to the nest, was at no great distance, 

 and of what description it was. Knowing the Cuckoo to be particularly fond 



