THE CUCKOO. 195 



cognisant of colour, she prefers a nest which contains 

 eggs similar to her own, in order that the latter may 

 be less easily discovered by the foster parents. At 

 the same time, we so frequently find the egg in 

 question amongst others which differ totally from it 

 in colour, that we cannot think that the Cuckoo is so 

 particular in her choice as Dr. Baldamus and the 

 supporters of his theory would have us believe. A 

 friend of Gilbert White found upon trial that the 

 note of the Cuckoo varies in different individuals. 

 About Selborne Wood he found they were mostly 

 in D. He heard two sing together, the one in D, 

 the other in D sharp, which made a very disagree- 

 able duet. He afterwards heard one in D sharp, 

 and about Wolmer Forest some in C. Gungl, in 

 his " Cuckoo Galop," gives the note of the Cuckoo 

 as B natural and G sharp. Dr. Arne, in his music 

 to the Cuckoo's song in Loves Labour s Lost, gives 

 it as C natural and G. 



