British Birds, their Nests and Eggs. 129 



which it patronises contain eggs more or less 

 nearly resembling its own. There is a general 

 family likeness about those laid by the bird, not 



only in the same clutch, but from year to year. 



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Admitting that the eggs of the cuckoo as a 

 species vary more than those of other birds, it is 

 yet probable that the same female invariably lays 

 eggs of one colour. This can only be surmised 

 by analogy, though the one fact bearing on the 

 question is where two cuckoo's eggs were found 

 in the same nest, and which differed greatly- 

 More might have been learnt from the incident 

 had it been known for certain whether the eggs 

 were laid by the same or different birds. There 

 is a general tendency in the habits of animals to 

 become hereditary, and it seems not unreasonable 

 to suppose that a cuckoo which has once laid its 

 egg in the nest of any particular species should 

 continue to do so, and that its offspring 

 also should continue the practice in after years. 

 A possibility with regard to the cuckoo is 

 that it is not so destitute of maternal instinct 

 as is generally supposed, and that it occa- 

 sionally hatches its own eggs. It is certain 

 that a female has been seen with her breast 

 destitute of feathers, and with young cuckoos 

 following her and clamouring to be fed. Some 

 other species of the genus nearly akin to our 

 own bird are quite normal in their nesting 

 habits, and I here suggest that, under certain 



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