20 



former breeding grounds in the eastern and southern counties of 

 England. Its principal food consists of the seeds of the reed, but, in 

 summer, numbers of small shell-bearing molluscs are also eaten. The 

 nest, placed near the water among sedge and weeds, is composed of dry 

 leaves of aquatic plants and lined with the flowers of the reed. The 

 eggs, from five to seven in number, are white with short wavy lines 

 and markings of purplish -brown (see British Bird Egg Cabinet, drawer 3). 

 Two broods are produced in a season. 



REED WARBLER {Acrocephalus streperus). 



This summer visitor arrives in England towards the end of April 

 and remains till September. It is not uncommon by the margins of 

 our meres and osier thickets. The nest is generally suspended on reeds, 

 or on the branches of willows and alders, which are woven into the 

 sides. It is compactly built of fine dry grass, lined with flowering grasses, 

 and is sometimes situated several feet above the surface of the water, 

 Four or five greenish-white eggs, clouded and blotched with dark olive 

 and ash (see British Bird Egg Cabinet, drawer 2) are laid towards the 

 end of May. The cuckoo frequently places its eggs in the nest of this 

 species. 



Cases 159-161. 



CUCKOO [Cuculus canorus). 



This well-known visitor is generally distributed during the summer 

 months, arriving in the south of England about the first week in April, 

 and remaining till August, or sometimes later. The food consists of 

 insects and their larvse, especially hairy caterpillars. No nest is built 

 and the female Cuckoo lays her egg on the ground, conveying it in her 

 bill to the nest of a foster parent : — Hedge Sparrow, Wagtail, Sedge 

 Warbler, Reed Warbler, Meadow Pipit (as here shown) and others. 

 Soon after the young cuckoo is hatched, it ejects the other nestlings. 

 Four to six eggs are laid in a season, and the eggs laid by different 

 individuals vary greatly in colour, sometimes resembling those of the 

 foster-parent (see British Bird Egg Cabinet, drawer 7). 



Case 159. — The male bird is being mobbed by Meadow Pipits 

 (mobbing by smaller birds is common, probably 

 because the Cuckoo is mistaken for a bird of prey). 

 Both in size and colouration there is considerable 

 resemblance between Sparrow Hawks and Cuckoos. 



Case 160. — The female is seen depositing her egg in the Meadow 

 Pipit's nest. It is suggested that the egg is laid on 

 the ground, and carried in the beak to the nest as 

 seen in the group, the beak being specially adapted 



