Cuckoo Characteristics 229 



depositing her egg. She may, indeed, manage this 

 in the nests of the larks, and in the wagtails' when built, 

 as it usually is on the ground; but the case is very 

 different with the hedge-sparrow, the green-finch, the 

 linnet, or the white-throat, all of whose nests are usually 

 placed in thick-thorn-bushes, or among brambles, and 

 so closely fenced in therewith; that the schoolboy can 

 with difficulty reach in his hand (which is not one third 

 the size of the cuckoo) to rob them of their eggs. From 

 these facts one can infer that it is physically impossible 

 for the cuckoo to sit upon the nests when she deposits 

 her egg. An old authority Valiant, rightly observes, 

 " Of all the cuckoos which I observed in Africa, the 

 didric was by far the most numerous ; for I perceive, by 

 referring to my journal, that I, and my faithful Klaas, 

 shot 210 males, 130 females, and 103 young ones, in all 

 443 ; whilst it would not have been difficult to have 

 procured a much greater number. 



If I add, besides, that we found 83 of their eggs in as 

 many nests, belonging to insectivorous birds, I think it 

 will appear that I have not wanted opportunities of 

 studying its history. 



Although this bird be so common, not indeed in the 

 environs, but about one hundred leagues from Cape-town, 

 it was scarcely known in Europe before my voyage, and 

 in France there was only one mutilated and badly pre- 

 served specimen of it to be seen in the Royal Museum 

 at Paris. I myself brought over 150 males and females, 

 as well as young ones, which are now exhibited in the 

 chief cabinets of Europe. To this beautiful species, 

 also, I am indebted for my principal knowledge of the 

 cuckoo family. From the facility I had of leisurely and 

 successfully observing its manners, I always entertained 

 the hope that I should one day surprise a female didric 

 in the act of depositing its egg in the nest of another 

 bird ; but having been disappointed in this respect I 

 began to imagine that my ignorance on this point would 

 never be removed, when one day having killed a female 

 of this species, and wishing to introduce into its throat 

 a hempen stopper, according to my custom after bringing 



