122 TBE COMMON CUCKOO. 



Winchat •. but of these it has been observed, that she shows the greatest 

 partiality to tne nest of the Hedge-Sparrow. 



We are indebted to the observf.tions of Dr. Jenner, for the following 

 account of the habits and economy of this singular bird, in the dis- 

 posal of its egg. He states that, during the time the Hedge-Sparrow 

 us laying her eggs, which generally occupies four or five days, the 

 Cuckoo contrives to deposit her egg among the rest, leaving the future 

 care of it entirely to the Iledu-e-Sparrow. This intrusion often occa- 

 sions some disorder ; f )'r the old IledgeSparrow, at intervals, while she 

 is sitting, not only throws out some of her own Qgg^, but sometimea 

 injures them in such a way, that they become adtlle, so that it fre- 

 quently happens, tliat not more that two or three of the parent-bird s 

 eggs are hatched: but, what is very remarkable, it has never been 

 observed that she has either thro^vn out or injured the egg of tlie 

 Cuckoo. When the Iledge-Sparrow lias set her usual time, and has 

 disengaged the young Cuckoo and some of her own otVspring from the 

 shell, her own young-ones, and any of her eggs that remain unhatched, 

 are soon turned out: the young Cuckoo then remains in full posses- 

 sion of the nest, and is the sole object of the future care of the foster- 

 parent. The young birds are not previously killed, nor are the eggs 

 demolished ; but they are left to perish together, either entangled ia 

 the bush tliat contains the nest, or lying on tlie ground beneath it. 

 On the 18th of June, 1787, Dr. Jenner examined a nest of a Iledge- 

 Sparrow, which then contained a Caekoo's and three IledgeSparrow's 

 eggs. On inspecting it the day following, the bird bad hatched: but 

 the nest then c >ntained only a young Cuckoo and one young Iledge- 

 Sparrow. The nest was placed so near the extremity of a hedge, that 

 he- could distinctly see what was going forward in it ; and, to bis great 

 astonishment, he saw the young Cuckoo, though so lately hatched, in 

 the act of turning outtheyoung Tledge-Sparrow. The mode of accom- 

 plishing this was curious ; the little animal, with the assistance of its 

 rump and wings, contrived to get the bird upon its back, and, making 

 a lodgnvnt f:>r its burden by elevating its elbows, climbed backward 

 with it up bhe side of the nest, till it reached the top; where, resting 

 for a moment, it threw off its load with a jerk, and quite disengaged 

 it from the nest. After remaining a short time in this situation, and 

 feeling about with the extremities of its wings, as if to be convinced 

 that the business was properly executed, it dropped into the nest 

 again. Dr. Jenner made several experiments in ditferent nests, by 

 repeatedly putting in an egg to the young Cuckoo; but this he always 

 found to be disposed of in the same manner. It is \erj remarkable, 

 that nature seems to have provided for the singular disposition of the 

 Cuckoo, in its formation at this period ; for, dilTerent from other newly- 

 hatched birds, its back, from the scnpuhe downward, is yeTj broad, 

 with a considerable depression in the middle, which seems intended for 

 the express purpose of giving a more secure lodgment to the egg of 

 the Iledge-Sparrow or its young-one, \vl)ile the youn;^^ Cuckoo is em- 

 ployed in removing either of them from the nest. When it is about 

 twelve days old, this cavity is quite filled up, the back assujnes the 

 shape of that of nestling birds in general, and at that time the dispo 



