THE COMMON SANDPIPER 73 



than itself, such as that of the Hedge-sparrow, Meadow-pipit or 

 Titlark and Tree-pipit. The eggs of the Cuckco are extremely small, 

 varying in weight from 43 to 55 grains, and the colour is extremely 

 variable. Some, both in ground and pencilling, very much resemble 

 the house-sparrow's ; some are distinctly covered with bran-coloured 

 spots, and others are marked with lines of black. The egg is laid 

 on the ground and, taken in the mouth, placed by the cuckoo in the 

 nest of the foster-parent, usually the hedge-sparrow's, incubation 

 not taking place before the middle of May. A fortnight is taken up 

 by the sitting bird in hatching the egg, and soon afterwards the nest 

 is found to contain only the young cuckoo, which continues therein 

 (or rather on) for three weeks, and if disturbed at the latter part of 

 that time sets up its feathers, such as they are, after the manner of 

 a peacock and makes a sort of hissing in order to disconcert the 

 intruder. When the foster-parent appears with a caterpillar the 

 young cuckoo opens its mouth wide, displaying its red threat and 

 fluttering its feathers in joy for the repast. After leaving the nest 

 the young cuckoo loiters about the place of its incubation and is 

 fed by the foster-parents for a monthor more, and then, full feathered, 

 provides for itself, anon taking its departure, and after the old 

 cuckoos, never acquiring the cuckoo note before departing, but 

 utters a sort of screech now and again in its flight. The parent 

 cuckoos feed entirely upon insects, taking many larvae, such as wire- 

 worms and leather- jackets from the ground on their first arrival, 

 caterpillars not being sufficiently ample for their dietary ; but when 

 these, especially the hairy caterpillars, are abundant, they feed 

 almost exclusively upon them, and are particularly fond of those 

 infesting gooseberry-bushes, the cuckoos visiting gardens and clearing 

 the bushes of the leaf-devouring pests. The old cuckoos, about 

 14 in. in length, depart from Britain early in July, though possibly 

 some, "cuckoo-noteless," remain to pilot the young cuckoos over 

 the " silver streak." 



The COMMON SANDPIPER (Tringoides or Tringa hypoleuca), 

 sometimes called the Summer Snipe, included in the family Scolo- 

 pacidae or Snipes and sub-family Tringinae or Totaninae, is about 

 7J in. in length, and has the head, back of the neck, back, upper 

 tail coverts and centre of the tail greenish-brown mottled with 

 black. A dark stripe runs from the base of the bill to the eye, and 

 a strip of light colour passes over the eye. The plumage generally 

 is marked with white, thus prevailing on the chin and under-parts 

 of the body, and the tail has greenish-black markings. It arrives 

 in England in April or May and leaves in September or October. 

 The food consists of worms, small molluscs, and insects obtained 

 from the mud on the banks of rivers. The nest is built in a hole 

 in a bank near fresh water and where shaded by a tuft of grass 

 or sedge. The eggs are four in number, of a reddish-white 

 colour, spotted with brown, the young being able to follow the 



