268 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 
Grey Wagtail, ‘ Zoologist’ for 1863. 
Meadow Pipit. 
Rock Pipit, ‘ Zoologist’ for 1868, and Yarrell. 
Skylark, ‘ Zoologist’ for 1863, and Yarrell. 
Woodlark, ‘ Zoologist.’ 
Yellowhammer, Yarrell. 
Chathineh, Yarrell. 
Greenfinch, Yarrell. 
Linnet, ‘ Zoologist ’ for 1863. 
The fact that two Cuckoo’s eggs are occasionally 
found in one nest has led to some discussion as to 
whether they belong to the same bird or to different 
ones; this question has not yet been quite satis- 
factorily cleared up. ‘The better opinion seems to 
me to be that the eggs are placed there by two 
different birds, the old Cuckoo being probably aware 
that one such gormandizer as its own young would 
be quite sufficient for the foster-parents, and that 
they would not be equal to the support of more than 
one. It is very probable, however, that a Cuckoo 
wanting to deposit an egg, when it finds a convenient 
nest, drops it in, without taking any particular notice 
of the fact that occupation of the nest has already 
been taken by one of its own species. When this 
takes place, and the two young Cuckoos are hatched, 
the struggle for existence between them must be 
tremendous, as, being of nearly equal size and weight, 
neither of them would be able to put in practice its 
usual summary method of ejecting the legitimate 
tenants of the nest, by hoisting them over the side. 
