72 COMMON CUCKOW. 



the nurse of the young Cuckow*. It may be 

 supposed that the female Cuckow lays her eggs 

 in the absence of the bird in whose nest she in- 

 tends to deposit it : as it has been known that on 

 sight of one of these, a Redbreast and its mate 

 jointly attacked her on approaching the nest, 

 putting her to flight; and so effectually drove her 

 away, that she did not dare to return. Among 

 the birds above-mentioned, it generally selects the 

 three first, but shews a much greater partiality to 

 the Hedge-sparrow. This last commonly takes 

 up four or five days in laying her eggs. During 

 this time (generally after she has laid one or two) 

 the Cuckow contrives to deposit her egg among 

 the rest, leaving the future care of it entirely to 

 the Hedge-sparrow. This intrusion often occa- 

 sions some discomposure, for thejold Hedge-spar- 

 row, whilst she is sitting, not unfrequently throws 

 out some of her own eggs, and sometimes injures 

 them in such a way that they become addle ; so 

 that it more frequently happens that only two or 

 three Hedge-sparrows eggs are hatched with the 

 Cuckow's than otherwise. But whether this be 

 the case or not, she sits the same length of time 

 as if no foreign egg had been introduced, the 

 Cuckow's egg requiring no longer incubation 

 than her own/' 



" When the Hedge-sparrow has sat her usual 

 time, and disengaged the young Cuckow, and 



* Buffon enumerates at least twenty sorts of nests in which 

 they have been known to deposit their eggs. 



