286 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. 



them must inevitably perish. Two cuckoos and one hedge- 

 sparrow were hatched in the same nest, and one hedge- 

 sparrow's egg remained unhatched. In a few hours afterwards 

 a contest began between the cuckoos for the possession of the 

 nest, which continued undetermined till the next afternoon, 

 when one of them, which was somewhat superior in size, 

 turned out the other, together with the young hedge-sparrow 

 and the unhatched egg. The combatants alternately appeared 

 to have the advantage, as each carried the other several times 

 to the top of the nest, and then sunk down again, oppressed 

 by the weight of the burthen ; till at length, after various 

 efforts, the strongest prevailed, and was afterwards brought 

 up by the hedge-sparrow." Jenner's experiences have been 

 corroborated by repeated experiments since. Colonel Montague 

 carried a hedge-sparrow's nest, so inhabited, into his house 

 where he could watch it at leisure and where he saw the 

 young cuckoo frequently oust the baby hedge-sparrow in 

 the manner described. The cuckoo feeds on caterpillars, and 

 insects. It may be tamed, but as a rule does not live long 

 in confinement. Its note is heard from April to June. 



That the cuckoo is scarcely an amiable bird 



x HO 



Cuckoo would appear from the following incident recorded 

 and the by Tj r Stanley : " A young thrush, just able to 

 feed itself, was placed in a cage. A short time 

 after, a young cuckoo, which could not feed itself, was placed 

 in the same cage, and fed by the owner. At length it was 

 observed that the thrush fed it; the cuckoo opening its 

 mouth, and sitting on the upper perch, and making the thrush 

 hop down to fetch its food. One day, while thus expecting 

 its supply, a worm was put into the cage, and the thrush 

 could not resist the temptation of eating it, upon which the 

 cuckoo descended, attacked the thrush with fury, and literally 

 tore out one of its eyes, and then hopped back. Although 

 so lacerated, the poor thrush meekly took up some food, and 

 continued to do so till the cuckoo was full grown." 



