126 A Midland Village: Garden and Meadow. 



Robin built its nest in a hole in the wall of my 

 garden, several inches deep, and with a rather 

 narrow entrance ; several eggs were laid and all 

 was going well. It was three or four days from 

 my first knowledge of the nest to my second 

 visit, when I was greatly annoyed to find all the 

 eggs but one on the ground at the foot of the 

 wall, broken to fragments. I accused the boy 

 who filled the office of boot-cleaner ; he was 

 more or less of a pickle, but he positively denied 

 all complicity. Meanwhile in my indignation I 

 had forgotten to examine the remaining egg ; 

 but the mystery was soon solved. Noticing that 

 the Robins had not deserted, I looked again 

 after awhile, and found a young Cuckoo. The 

 ugly wretch grew rapidly, and soon became too 

 big for the nest, so we hung him up in a basket 

 on a branch, where the Robins continued to feed 

 him. His aspect and temper were those of a 

 young fiend. If you looked at him he would 

 swell with passion, and if you put your finger 

 towards him, he would rise up in the basket and 

 'go for it.' One fine morning he disappeared, 

 and was never heard of more. 



