THE CUCKOO. 231 



The Cuckoo lays her egg upon the ground ; the 

 colour of the egg is variable according to the 

 condition of the ovary, which depends upon the 

 age of the bird, the nature of its food, and state 

 of health at the time of oviposition. With her 

 egg in her bill, the bird then seeks a nest where- 

 in to place it. I am not unwilling to accept the 

 suggestion that, being cognizant 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 the egg in question is so frequently found 

 amongst others which differ totally from it in 

 colour, that I cannot think the Cuckoo is so 

 particular in her choice as Dr. Baldamus would 

 have us believe. 



The manner in which "the cuckowe's bird 

 useth the sparrow," "oppressing his nest," 

 living upon him, and finally turning him adrift, 

 has furnished a theme for poets and prose writers 

 in all ages, and has awakened in no small degree 

 the speculative powers of naturalists. 



The story is as old as the hills, and it would 

 probably be difficult, if not impossible, to trace 



