NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 129 
When birds come to suffer by severe frost, I find that the first 
that fail and die are the redwing-fieldfares, and then the song- 
thrushes. 
You wonder, with goad reason, that the hedge-sparrows, &c., can 
be induced at all to sit on the egg of the cuckoo without being 
scandalized at the vast disproportionate size of the supposititious 
egg ;* but the brute creation, I suppose, have very little idea of 
size, colour, or number. For the common hen, I know, when the 
fury of incubation is on her, will sit on a single shapeless stone 
instead of a nest full of eggs that have been withdrawn: and, 
moreover, a hen-turkey, in the same circumstances, would sit on in 
the empty nest till she perished with hunger. 
I think the matter might easily be determined whether a cuckoo 
lays one or two eggs, or more, in a season, by opening a female 
during the laying-time. If more than one was come down out of 
the ovary, and advanced to a good size, doubtless then she would 
that spring lay more than one.f 
I will endeavour to get a hen, and to examine. 
Your supposition that there may be some natural obstruction in 
singing birds while they are mute, and that when this is removed 
the song recommences, is new and bold ; I wish you could discover 
some good grounds for this suspicion. 
I was glad you were pleased with my specimen of the capri- 
mulgus, or fern-owl; you were, I find, acquainted with the bird 
before. 
When we meet I shall be glad to have some conversation with 
you concerning the proposal you make of my drawing up an 
account of the animals in this neighbourhood. Your partiality 
towards my small abilities persuades you, I fear, that I am able to 
do more than is in my power : for it is no small undertaking for a 
man unsupported and alone to begin a natural history from his own 
* By a wise provision, and to prevent the very circumstance which Mr. White here 
notices. we find the egg of the cuckoo scarcely larger than that of the common chaffinch. 
+ The remarks of Mr. White are made in consequence of Mr. Barrington’s letters to 
him, the contents of which were embodied in an essay, published in his M/7zscedlanzes, in 
1781, ‘‘On the prevailing notions in regard to the Cuckoo,”’ in which he quotes a letter 
from Mr. White (Letter XXIV.). Barrington had imbibed some very erroneous notions 
himself, and combats the idea that the small birds, such as hedge-sparrows, &c., could 
hatch a cuckoo; and also tries to produce evidence that the cuckoo is not a parasitic 
breeder. Professor Owen has remarked, ‘‘I am not aware that more than one ovum is 
ever contained in the oviduct at one time, in any bird.’’ There is no reason for believing 
that the cuckoo does not, as other birds, deposit a certain number of eggs each season : so 
far as we know, there is nothing peculiar in its structure referrible to this, and its residence 
in the breeding localities is protracted much beyond the time required to deposit a single 
£gg. 
K 
