172 COUNTRY RAMBLES. 



placed. Many theories were expounded, but it seemed that although 

 so many were ready to put their theories and experiences into print, 

 very few indeed had actually witnessed the occurrence. We had had 

 drawings illustrating the young Cuckoo in the act of ejection, but 

 these were not convincing enough to those of a sceptical frame of 

 mind, although those who had actually witnessed the performance 

 readily accepted the drawings as correctly representing the mode of 

 procedure 



Controversy in a certain channel reached fever height in 1899, 

 and my Ayrshire friend at once set to work and secured a wonderful 

 series of photographs revealing, as well as illustrating, the young 

 Cuckoo in the very act of ejecting an egg and a young bird, which 

 photographs and experiences have by this time been heard of 

 throughout the Ornithological world. 



What Mr. Craig has accomplished is a perfect revelation to many 

 people, the more so when one considers how extremely difficult it is 

 to accomplish such a feat; but owing to his well-directed enthusiasm, 

 patience, care, knowledge of his subject, and whole-heartedness, he 

 has placed bird lovers under a deep obligation to him, and. as Dr. 

 Japp says in his Cuckoo book, "whom all the world will thank for 

 so far decisively setting this matter at rest." 



Of this series of Cuckoo photos four are reproduced here and the 

 text underneath each one explains them without further comment, 

 but the notes made by Mr. Craig at the time, read in conjunction 

 with these illustrations, are very valuable, and so extremely interesting 

 that this article would be far from complete without a reference to 

 them. 



Before coming to this, however, I should say that these four 

 photographs are by Mr. Peat Millar, of Beith, and the remaining ones 

 of the Cuckoo in this book are by Mr. J. T. Newman. These latter 

 five had nothing whatever to do with the experiments of Mr. Craig 

 and were secured quite independently. They are, however, so very 

 distinct and clear, and so interesting withal, that their reproduction 

 with the other series helps to complete a unique collection of Cuckoo 

 photographs which I believe I am safe in saying has never been 

 presented hitherto. 



On June 2nd, 1899, Mr. Craig found a Meadow Pipit's nest con- 

 taining two Cuckoo's eggs and three Pipit's. One of the latter eggs 

 was broken to ascertain how far incubation was advanced, so that he 

 would know when to return to resume his observations. 



