The Early Life of the Young Cuckoo. 7 



Pipit's nest containing two Cuckoo's eggs and three 

 Pipit's. One of the latter eggs was broken by my 

 friend to ascertain how far incubation was advanced, 

 so that he would know about when to return to 

 resume his observations. 



A diversity of opinion arises as to whether the 

 two eggs were deposited in the one nest by the 

 same Cuckoo, but the opinion of Mr. Craig, and 

 also of the writer, is that they were deposited by 

 different Cuckoos. The eggs were different in 

 colour, size, and shape ; but it must not be assumed 

 from this that I am of opinion that the same identical 

 bird could not lay eggs quite as different in mark- 

 ing, colour and shape. 



It is rare that the Meadow Pipit lays a clutch of 

 eggs numbering less than four, and this being so it 

 is reasonable to suppose that the Cuckoo (or Cuck- 

 oos) when depositing the eggs had taken aw^ay one 

 or more of the Pipit's, leaving five in all, that is, 

 including the two Cuckoo's eggs. 



On June 6, the eggs were still unhatched, but 

 two days later both the Cuckoos were out of the 

 shells, and one of the Pipit's eggs w^as found lying 

 outside the nest, and the other remaining t^^ of the 



