Preface, ix 



Garnett, of the British Museum, and Mr. Waterhouse 

 and Mr. Trigg, of the Zoological Society, for such 

 service as I can but feebly thank them for : by their 

 readiness to oblige, I was able to consult several 

 things which I had failed to find either at the British 

 Museum or at South Kensington. I must record 

 also my gratitude to Dr. A. Russel Wallace and 

 Canon Tristram for answers to letters, and I must 

 not omit to add Professor H. O. Forbes and my old 

 friend and correspondent, Mrs. Bishop (Isabella L. 

 Bird) for friendly replies — both full and ready — about 

 cuckoos in the Far East, etc. 



The work of Mr. John Craig and Mr. J. Peat 

 Millar, of Beith, in securing a series of photographs, 

 showing the young cuckoo in the most striking stages 

 of his work in turning out eggs and young birds, 

 could not but be most interesting to me as supplying 

 exactly what some sceptics, among them Dr. Charles 

 Creighton, in Vaccination and tenner and elsewhere, 

 had repeatedly and triumphantly demanded. I have 

 in my hands copies of the whole series ; and 1 will 

 here give notes as sent to me in explanation of them 

 by Mr. Peat Millar : 



No. I, shows attitude taken by the young cuckoo when the 

 other young bird was put into the nest by Mr. Craig. 



No. 2 was taken five seconds later, and shows the young bird 

 fairly on its back, and the cuckoo beginning to rise. 



