322 CUCULlDiE. 



the edge of the nest, where they are left to perish. " The 

 singularity of its shape," says Dr. Jenner, "is well adapted 

 for these purposes ; for, different from other newly-hatched 

 birds, its back from the shoulders downwards is very broad, 

 with a considerable depression in the middle. This de- 

 pression seems formed by nature for the design of giving a 

 more secure lodgment to an egg or a young bird, when 

 the young Cuckoo is employed in removing either of them 

 from the nest." To the question which naturally suggests 

 itself, " Why does the young Cuckoo thus monopolize the 

 nest and the attentions of its foster parents'?" the solution 

 is plain. The newly-hatched bird must of necessity be 

 less in size than the egg from which it proceeded, but a 

 full-grown Cuckoo exceeds the dimensions of a whole 

 brood of Pipits ; its growth therefore must be rapid and 

 cannot be maintained without a large supply of food. 

 But the old birds could not possibly with their utmost 

 exertions feed a brood of their own kind and satisfy the 

 demands made by the appetite of the voracious stranger 

 as well. The latter consequently saves them from this 

 impossible task, and, by appropriating to his single use the 

 nourishment intended for a brood of four or five, not only 

 makes provision for his own well-being, but helps them 

 out of a difficulty. So assiduously is he taken care of 

 that he soon becomes a portly bird and fills his nest ; in 

 about three weeks he is able to fly, but for a period 

 of four or five weeks more his foster-parents continue 

 to feed him. It is probable that the young Cuckoo 

 actually exercises some fascination over other birds. There 

 is a case on record in which a pair of Meadow Pipits 

 were seen to throw out their own young ones to make 

 room for the intruder. In another instance, a young 

 Cackoo which had been taken from the nest and was 

 being reared by hand escaped from confinement. Having 

 one of its wings cut, it could not fly, but was found again, 

 at the expiration of a morith, within a few fields of the 



