444 Observations on the Cuckoo. 
titlark, yellow bunting, green grosbeak, 
whinchat, &c. Among these, they usually 
select the three first, but shew a much greater 
partiality to the hedge warbler than to any 
of the rest.. The hedge warbler conimonly 
takes up four or five days in laying her eggs, 
and during this time (generally after she has 
laid one or two) the cuckoo contrives to de- 
posit hers among the rest. This intrusion 
often occasions some discomposure, for the 
old hedge warbler at intervals, whilst she is 
sitting, not unfrequently throws out some of 
her own eggs; and sometimes injures them in 
such a way that they become addle; however, 
she is rarely observed to throw out or injure 
that of the cuckoo. She continues to sit the 
same length of time as if no foreign egg had 
been introduced, the cuckoo’s requiring no 
longer incubation than her own; nay, it 
frequently happens that it is hatched first. 
The titlark is often selected by the cuckoo to 
take charge of its offspring, but as it is a bird 
less familiar than many that have been men- 
tioned, its nest is not so often discovered. 
The young cuckoo, soon after it is exclu- 
ded from the erg, commences the extraordi- 
nary practice of turning out its companions, 
which are usually left to destruction. The 
mode of accomplishing this is very curious : 
