18G BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. ix. 



swoojied repeatedly at it. Unable to alight, the Cuckoo 

 would wheel round, and after gliding up and down the valley 

 for some time, return to its perch m the tree. When at last 

 it succeeded in alighting, it seemed to be struggling with 

 something in the grass, and we fancied we could detect some- 

 thing in its bill, Avhich it attempted to deposit at one spot, 

 which Avas visited several times. The object was evidently 

 accomplished at last after an unusually violent struggle, 

 and after this the Ciickoo stayed away for some time. A 

 hasty visit to the spot resulted in the discovery of a wcU- 

 hidden nest of the Meadow-Pipit. Avith four eggs, Avhich we did 

 not stop to examine, as the Cuckoo returned, but after a few 

 short flights it flew right away. On re-examination we found 

 that three of the eggs were those of the Meadow-Pipit and 

 were quite cold : the fourth was a Cuckoo's egg and was still 

 warm. The nest was so placed that the egg could only have 

 been inserted by the bill of the Oickoo. We had the 1)irds 

 vuider observation from 5.45 to 6.30 j).m. and A\erc struck l)y 

 the easy gliding flight of the Cuckoo and the silence of the 

 birds concerned : not a soimd Avas \ittered b}' either Cuckoo 

 or Pipits during the Avhole time. Fred Taylok. 



[This account should be compared Avith Mr. A. H. Meikle- 

 john's account of a Cuckoo depositing its egg in a Robins 

 nest, in the Zoologist, 1900, p. 262.— Eds.] 



THE GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE IN 

 HEREFORDSHIRE. 



On XoA'ember loth, 1915, a female Greater Spotted Eagle 

 [Aquila clanga Pallas) in the immature spotted ])lumage 

 as figured in Samiders's Illustrated Manual of British Birds. 

 2nd Edition, p. 325 (1899) Avas shot at Brinsop Court, Hereford, 

 sent to the Field office by Mr. Hubert D. Astley, and subse- 

 quently forAvarded to me in the flesh by Mr. J. E. Harting. 

 Its large size indicated that it Avas a female and tliis conclusion 

 Avas confirmed by an examination of the internal organs. 

 The ovary Avas small and mideveloped, but the bird being 

 still quite fresh the left oviduct Avas at once Ansible. The 

 total length in the flesh Avas 28 inches, the expanse of the 

 Avings from tip to tip 66, the length of the wing 21, and the 

 Aveight 4 lbs. 14 oz. 



The occurrence of this fine Eagle in Britain is rare, only 

 eleven examples having been previously recorded ; nine in 

 l^]ngland, mostly in the southern counties, and tAvo in co. Cork, 

 Ireland. " W. W. ()(;ii>vii>Gr.\nt. 



