NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



S79 



at their base. The young of both species, on leaving the nest, are 

 hardly to be separated from each other, but at about three months 

 old they possess the same characteristic markings as their parents. It 

 would be of gi-eat interest if some of our oologists could explain the 

 apparent anomaly in the coloiu-ation of the eggs, for experience teaches 

 us, that, in nearly eveiy genus, the true typical egg of each species is 

 not without characteristic resemblance. 



With reference to the supposed ousting by the young Cuckoo of 

 its foster brethren, I do not think it applies in all cases, if at all; 

 because if we consider, say, the Pallid and Fan-tail Cuckoos, and their 

 rapid gi-owth in size, compared with that of the smaller foster-family, the 

 latter would be soon crushed or starved out of existence ; moreover 

 the nest could not contain them all. In any case, there appears an 

 all-wise provision in the plans of the Creator for the maintenance of 

 their (the Cuckoo) species, for it may be readily imderstood that it 

 occupies the whole time of a pair of tiny foster-parents to satiate the 

 rapacious maw of their large foster-chick, without being encumbered 

 with a brood of their own offspring. 



Mr. J. C. Goudie, Birchip, sent the following valuable note to the 

 " Victorian Natiu-alist " respecting the ejectment, by this Cuckoo, of its 

 foster-brethren :■ — " On the 5th of November, 1897, a nest of the White- 

 fronted Ephtliianura (E. alhifrons) was noticed, containing a clutch 

 of tlu'ee eggs of the rightful owner, and an egg of the NaiTow-billed 

 Bronze Cuckoo. Between the 5tli and 8th, one of the Ephthianura's 

 and the Cuckoo's egg were hatched, and the difference in size was at 

 once noticeable, the usui-per being half as large again as its nest-mate. 

 By the 8th inst., the two remaining eggs had been thrown out, and the 

 same day I was fortimate enough to witness a determined attempt on 

 the part of the young Cuckoo to eject its smaller companion. First 

 of all it assT.med an upright sitting posture, then wriggled and shuiHed 

 about until it managed to get the young Ephtliianura fairly on to its 

 (the Cuckoo's) back ; it then rose on tip-toe, with its back to the side 

 of the nest, and, spreading its wings and using them as anns to keep 

 its load in position, it endeavoured, by a series of violent upward jerks, 

 to force the latter out of the nest. On this occasion it was not equal 

 to the task, and, after a protracted struggle, gave it up. However, by 

 the evening of the next day it had accomplished its pui-pose, and rested 

 in undisputed possession. A more remarkable exhibition of instinct I 

 have never seen — more remarkable from the fact that the bird was 

 practically just out of the egg, blind, and seemingly helpless." 



