AND OTHER BIRDS 197 



might have been a foot nearer to her. She never 

 hesitated, when called off and given food by the 

 male, to return at once in a single straight flight 

 to the nest. Certainly the Cuckoo knew of my 

 proximity, just as he knew of seals in the inlet 

 or cattle on the neighbouring island. To him 

 each of the three kinds of beast was equally 

 innocuous. It must farther be remembered that 

 I had left the camera and was, I believe, hidden 

 when the Cuckoo visited the nest. In either case, 

 however, he can have had no fear, for no wild 

 creature in the least degree suspicious would 

 have foregone the advantage of sight. Yet for 

 an appreciable part of a second, he inspected the 

 nest with his back to my hiding place and his 

 back also to the nearer camera. My Newman and 

 Guardia was set at a speed of one-twentieth of 

 a second, and I remember thinking I could have 

 comfortably got him in that fraction of time. 



Observations of whatever nature in regard to 

 the Cuckoo are of interest, and I have given the 

 details fully; but as to this particular Long- 

 tailed Cuckoo's intentions, and as to the meaning 

 of what was done that morning, I have no theory 

 into which all the facts will fit. With the cruel 

 knowledge of nests and their sites, that his race 

 must possess, it is puerile to believe him in doubt 

 of the contents of this one. Equally futile is it to 

 believe so prolonged a scrutiny was required 

 without some particular reason. Finally, I 

 should add that the camera was at once removed 

 and that we ourselves departed from the spot. 

 Some spell, however had been cast on the Tits; 

 before it instinct and impulse to act were torpid, 

 and, as I have said, the brood was allowed to 

 perish. 



