THE YELLOW BILLED CUCKOO 



PROVING THAT MOTHER CUCKOO WOULD BROOD WHILE I WORKED BEHIND HER 



drink. I went back to the carriage, brought my clippers and ap- 

 proached the nest again, as cautiously as before. She left when 

 I was close ten feet from her. With all possible speed, cutting 

 not a twig that was not necessary, I cleared the foreground and 

 hurried away. 



That night the nervous strain was so intense I could not sleep. 

 The following morning I was at the Cabin as early as there was 

 light and tried to approach the nest with tripod and camera. At 

 fifteen feet Mother Cuckoo simply vanished. There I stood sick 

 with disappointment. The previous evening had made me too 

 sure. There was nothing left to do but vanish myself. Thinking 

 it over I realized in bitterness that it was a mistake to go early or 



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