A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE CUCKOO. 65 
side of the nest, and the three others on the ground beneath, quite 
dead. The living one was replaced, but on the following day this 
also was found dead on the ground. Here, then, we find that on 
the seventh, or perhaps eighth day, the last of the nest-mates could 
not have been long ejected, as it was still alive, and the others had 
probably only been turned out a few hours previously. 
The other nest, in the wall, contained, on July 20th, three 
healthy young Wagtails and two Cuckoos, which appeared as if 
very recently hatched. I may remark that six is the ordinary num- 
ber of eggs produced by the Pied Wagtail. Although there were 
two Cuckoos in this nest, the young Wagtails were even longer 
lived than in the other. On July 24th, or four days (at least) from 
exclusion, they were all apparently well, and growing apace; but 
the nest was much flattened and extended, and here the two inter- 
lopers were in the centre, with the: rightful owners ranged around 
them. It appeared to be very fatiguing to the parent Wagtails to 
supply the youthful party with food, for which their calls were loud 
and incessant. 
On July 26th, or (at least) six days from exclusion, all the young 
Wagtails were sitting upon the stones by the side of the nest ; and, 
as the young Cuckoos appeared very hungry, a quantity of small 
worms, ant’s pupas, and bread, were spread upon a board close at 
hand, with which the old birds stopped their cries. 
On July 29th—that is, on the ninth or tenth day—one of the 
Wagtails was found dead beside the nest, and the others sat shiver- 
ing on the ground beneath. They were again replaced ; but on 
August 2nd they had disappeared, and were nowhere to be found. 
The young Cuckoos continued to thrive for some days, when they 
fell a prey to a Cat, which put an end to the observations. 
Now, in this latter instance, the lives of the nestling Wagtails 
were artificially protracted, and it appears that the site of the nest 
was unfavourable for their expulsion by the young Cuckoos, which 
latter, at an early age, however, contrived to occupy the centre of 
the nest, the flat form of which, it is probable, also furthermore ena- 
bled the Wagiails to regain their station, whenever ousted. Still, 
it is evident that they remained for several days quietly together. 
In an instance which fell under Dr. Jenner’s observation, of two 
Cuckoos being hatched in the same nest, after a long succession of 
alternate endeavours to expel one another, the stronger finally suc- 
ceeded. 
A nest on the ground may sometimes be so situate as to render it 
VOL, IX., NO. XXV. 9 
