308 BIRDS OP NORFOLK. 



Dr. Watts would have ventured to remark that, 

 ^'^ birds in their little nests agree" could he have 

 witnessed the fight between two young cuckoos, 

 thus hatched together, so spiritedly described in 

 Dr. Jenner's paper. Happily, however, for the wretched 

 little birds whose home was the scene of this 

 deadly struggle, the weakest at length shared the 

 fate of the nestling hedge-sparrow, and the old pair 

 were spared the herculean task of supplying two such 

 young cormorants with sufficient food. I was myself 

 a witness on one occasion to a pied- wagtail feeding its 

 ungainly nestling exactly as depicted in Mr. Gould's 

 beautiful illustration (Bu-ds of Great Britain) ; the 

 little wagtail, perching on the cuckoo's back, as the 

 easiest means of reaching its capacious mouth. 



Frequently as the attempt has been made to rear 

 young cuckoos in confinement, but few cases are known 

 in which they have been preserved through the winter 

 months; the absence of some necessary ingredient in 

 their diet, added to a strong migratory impulse, causing 

 them almost invariably to pine and die after a few 

 weeks. Mr. Dew, a hairdi-esser and bird fancier, in 

 Norwich, by great care and judgment in feeding, suc- 

 ceeded in keeping one in perfect health, from June, 

 1863, till some time in October, 1864; by far the 

 longest period on record to my knowledge. I last saw 

 it alive on the 11th of August, 1864, when but slight 

 traces of grey appeared in its russet plumage, and the 

 bird eventually died in consequence of imperfect moult- 

 ing. It was fed entirely on fresh raw meat, and enjoyed 

 a supply of fresh water every day. When regularly 

 supplied with food, it would remain perfectly quiet on its 

 usual perch, but when hungry always fluttered violently 

 about the cage, and, apparently having no idea of distance, 

 would thus hurt itself, and even draw blood at times. 

 A very interesting history of one taken on the 26th 



