A CUCKOO IN A ROBIN'S NEST 21 



down the bank, a distance of fourteen inches from 

 the nest. 



The young cuckoo appeared to rest more quietly in 

 the nest now, but after a couple of hours the old 

 fidgeting began again, and increased until he was in 

 the same restless state as before. The rapid growth 

 of the birds made the position more and more miser- 

 able for the cuckoo, since the robin, thrust against 

 the side of the nest, would throw his head and neck 

 across the cuckoo's back, and he could not endure 

 being touched there. And now a fresh succession of 

 struggles began, the whole process being just the same 

 as when the egg was struggled with. But it was not 

 so easy with the young bird, not because of its greater 

 weight, but because it did not roll like the egg and 

 settle in the middle of the back ; it would fall partly 

 on to the cuckoo's back and then slip off into the nest 

 again. But success came at last, after many failures. 

 The robin was lying partly across the cuckoo's neck, 

 when, in moving its head, its little curved beak came 

 down and rested on the very centre of that irritable 

 hollow in the back of its foster-brother. Instantly the 

 cuckoo pressed down into the nest, shrinking away 

 as if hot needles had pricked him, as far as possible 

 from the side where the robin was lying against him, 

 and this movement of course brought the robin more 

 and more over him, until he was thrown right upon 

 the cuckoo's back. 



Instantly the rigid fit came on, and up rose the 



