BIRDS THAT ARE BOARDED OUT 51 



nests, but, as a matter of fact, they are very 

 rarely put there ; no doubt these birds are 

 too much for the wily cuckoo, and give her 

 no chance. 



The bird that gets most of the cuckoo's 

 eggs is probably the little titlark, or meadow- 

 pipit, and this is because it is so widely spread, 

 as you can find it everywhere in open country ; 

 the hedge-sparrow is also a very common 

 foster-parent, and, as this is such a well- 

 known little bird, and so often builds close 

 to houses, it is not surprising that it gets the 

 reputation of being the most usual foster- 

 parent of the cuckoo. But, as a matter of 

 fact, almost any little insect-eating bird gets 

 a cuckoo's egg to take charge of at times, 

 and sometimes even the finches ; while in 

 some places the fierce little butcher-bird is 

 quite often favoured, in opposition to the 

 cuckoo's usual rule of only oppressing the 

 weak birds. Her method of proceeding must 

 surely be very different in this case, and it 

 would be interesting to know how she manages 

 to dodge birds which are so fierce that they 

 will kill others bigger than themselves, as the 

 butcher-bird often does. 



