216 HISTORY OF 



the scapulae downwards, is very broad, with a 

 considerable depression in the middle. This de- 

 pression seems formed by nature for the design 

 of giving a more secure lodgement to the egg of 

 the hedge-sparrow or its young one, when the 

 young cuckoo is employed in removing either of 

 them from the nest. When it is about twelve 

 days old this cavity is quite filled up, and then 

 the back assumes the shape of nestling birds in 

 general." 



It appears a little extraordinary that two cuc- 

 koos* eggs should ever be deposited in the same 

 nest, as the young one produced from one of 

 them must inevitably perish ; yet two instances 

 of this kind fell under Dr Jenner's observation, 

 one of which he thus relates : " June 27. 1787- 

 Two cuckoos and a hedge-sparrow were hatched 

 in the same nest this morning ; one hedge-spar- 

 row's egg remained unhatched. In a few hours 

 after, a contest began between the cuckoos for 

 the possession of the nest, which continued un- 

 determined till the next afternoon, when one of 

 them, which was somewhat superior in size, turn- 

 ed out the other, together with the young hedge- 

 sparrow and the unhatched egg. This contest 

 was very remarkable. The combatants alter- 

 nately appeared to have the advantage, as each 

 carried the other several times nearly to the top 

 of the nest, and then sunk down again, oppress- 

 ed by the weight of its burden ; till at length, 

 after various efforts, the strongest prevailed, and 

 was afterwards brought up by the hedge-spar- 

 row." 



