470 Letters, Announcements, ^c. 



damus rejects this opinion, and contends for the older view 

 (viz. that the same Cuckoo lays eggs of one colour and markings 

 only, and so is limited to the nests of but one species) ; and 

 this he proves by personal experience and observations ;" &c. &c. 

 I need not refer to the remaining portion of the review in 

 question, though again the instance adduced of an eye-witness 

 having seen the Cuckoo first lay her egg on the ground, and 

 then carry it off in her beak for deposition in the nest of some 

 older bird, which is quoted from a recent German periodical as 

 a novel fact, might, had the reviewer read my paper, have found 

 sufficient precedent in the interesting story of the charcoal- 

 burner in the forest of Thiiringia, as recorded by Dr. Baldamus 

 in ' Naumanuia/ 1853, and as detailed by me in full in the paper 

 in question. As I had taken considerable pains in translating as 

 accurately as possible the whole of Dr. Baldamus's paper on this 

 most interesting subject, which to me has a singular fascina- 

 tion — as I conceive I had thoroughly made myself acquainted 

 with Dr. Baldamus's views before I wrote my paper — and as I 

 was especially careful not to mar the question by any opinions 

 of my own, but merely to present the theory of the eminent 

 German ornithologist for the consideration and examination of 

 others, I confess I am anxious not to be misrepresented, and so 

 1 confidently appeal to your sense of justice to set me right by 

 publishing this reply in your next number. 



I am &c., 



Alfred Charles Smith*. 



* [We are exceedingly sorry that our good friend should have to com- 

 plain that his meaning had been misrepresented in our pages, and gladly 

 insert his disclaimer of the opinion attributed to him. The writer of the 

 notice in question, however, in justice to himself wishes it to be men- 

 tioned that he did read Mr. Smith's essay, and the impression left on his 

 mind was as stated iu the notice. With regard to instances of the 

 Cuckoo being seen to lay its e^^ on the gi-ound, we must take leave to 

 remark that the very circumstantial account given by an eye-witness 

 which is mentioned in our last number (p. 375) appears to us to stand 

 as a matter of evidence on a very different ground from the story of the 

 nameless Thuringian charcoal-burner, who did not himself tell it to Dr. 

 Baldamus, but to a third person, Herr Miidel, from whom the Doctor re- 

 ceived it (Naumaunia, 1853, p. 315, note). — Ed.] 



