1 8 General Notes on the Cuckoo. 



perhaps, almost the size of a Skylark's. In its 

 colouring the egg varies a good deal, and columns 

 might be devoted to this point alone. 



In the collection at South Kensington there are 

 three varieties of blue Cuckoo's eggs which were 

 laid in the nests of the Hedge Sparrow, Redstart, 

 and Pied Flycatcher, all of which lay blue eggs ! 

 The colour of the egg certainly is, in a great many 

 instances, almost, if not quite, identical with the bird 

 upon whom the Cuckoo has thrust its charge, but I 

 have yet to find one of these blue varieties. The 

 general colour, however, is white, closely freckled 

 and mottled with grey, or sometimes reddish brown, 

 and in all those specimens which have come under 

 my notice, a few black specks or dots were notice- 

 able. I invariably look for them, because a faded 

 Skylark's may be easily mistaken for the egg of the 

 bird under consideration. 



Many people do not know what takes place when 

 the unruly young beggar emerges from the shell. 

 He at once assumes command of the homestead, 

 and the shovelling-out process takes place. No 

 matter whether eggs or young are in the nest, both 

 or either are doomed, but sometimes when the other 



