30 Life History of Common Cuckoo. 



Mr. Craig's observations go to support the idea that 

 the cuckoo will not begin operations after five days 

 old. Mr. Craig tested this in various ways, putting 

 different young birds into the cuckoo's nest before the 

 cuckoo's fifth day, and these were invariably thrown 

 out ; but, after the fifth day, the cuckoo loses the desire 

 to operate on what is put beside it, as was proved by 

 the fact that a cuckoo of about ten days allowed a 

 hedgesparrow of about eight days to lie quietly 

 beside it. 



The editress of the Feathered World makes this 

 note on Mr. Craig's article and snapshots : 



" When the outline of the young cuckoo in the two 

 pictures is once grasped one can see how well suited 

 for its fell purpose is the position it takes up. Head 

 well down, legs wide apart gripping either side of the 

 nest, wings outstretched to prevent any slipping back 

 sideways, the unfortunate victim well poised on its 

 broad back, the curious depression in which serves to 

 steady it — the attitude is perfect for accomplishing 

 the final act in the curious tragedy of nature by which 

 a cuckoo is reared at the expense of the family of its 

 foster-parents. My only regret is that want of time 

 did not admit of my suggesting to Messrs. Craig and 

 Millar an enlargement of these sharp little negatives, 

 which, when seen under a magnifying glass, reveal to 

 an even greater extent the murderous method of the 

 nestling cuckoo, so well described by Mr. Craig in his 

 interesting article." 



There are various and conflicting theories about 

 the cuckoo's power in adapting its eggs to the nests 

 in which it drops them and also regarding the process 

 followed, but it is undoubted that cuckoos' eggs vary 



