THE CUCKOO. 



239 



the nest beside the Cuckoo, which struggled 

 about till it got its back under one of them, 

 when it climbed backwards directly up the open 

 side of the nest, and hitched the Pipit from its 

 back on to the edge. It then stood quite up- 



right on its legs, which were straddled wide 

 apart, with the claws firmly fixed half-way down 

 the inside of the nest among the interlacing 

 fibres of which the nest was woven ; and, 

 stretching its wings apart and backwards, it 

 elbowed the Pipit fairly over the margin so far 



