APPENDIX 3 NOS @ XVII VILLE 19 
xViIE 
Doers THE Cuckow CARRY ITs Eaes ? 
[‘ Zoologist,’ v. (1847) p. 1774.] 
THERE is an interesting point in the habits of the Cuckow, which 
perhaps some of the readers of the ‘ Zoologist’ may be able to 
decide from their own experience. I mean the mode in which 
it conveys its eggs into the nests of the birds to whose care it 
confides them : it seems probable it carries them in its mouth. If 
I remember right Le Vaillant shot a species of Cuckow in Africa, 
with one of its own eggs in its throat. Mr. Williamson, of the 
Scarborough Museum, informed me, several years ago, that he had 
found a Cuckow’s egg in a nest, which was placed so close under 
a hedge, that the Cuckow could not possibly have got into it ; and 
this morning I purchased a Cuckow’s egg [§ 710] from Mr. Bartlett, 
of Little Russell Street, which he had found himself (I believe last 
year) in a Robin’s nest that was placed in so small a hole, that 
he believed the Cuckow must have put her tail over her head, and 
backed in. By the bye, rather a curious point connected with this 
case is, that the Robin’s eggs were nearly ready to hatch, whilst the 
Cuckow’s seemed not to have been sat upon many days; an apparent 
carelessness, or want of discrimination on the part of the Cuckow. 
Mr. Bartlett, at first glance into the nest, thought someone had put 
a Nightingale’s egg into it, but it is a most unmistakeable Cuckow’s. 
An American Nightjar, having had its eggs disturbed, has been 
seen to take them up in its claws, and fly away. Probably many 
birds move their eggs in the same way. But that the Cuckow 
carries its eggs in its mouth or throat, is not rendered less probable 
by the common report that it sucks eggs to clear its voice. 
Mount Street, Grosvenor Square, 
May lst, 1847. 
XVIII. 
On Jackvaws’ NEsts. 
Do Brrps or tHE Crow TRIBE COVER THEIR Eaas ? 
[‘ Zoologist,’ v. (1847) pp. 1774, 1775. ] 
T nave a fact to offer on this disputed point. About ten days ago 
Henry Walter and myself amused ourselves by climbing up to 
Jackdaws’ nests, placed in holes in the trees, about Bearwood, which 
is on the borders of Windsor Forest. In the course of three days 
we must have examined several scores of nests. On the first day 
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