172 THE CUCKOO 



in number, move through wider bounds, making 

 their presence known by their peculiar call-note, 

 a chattering or laughing sound of invitation ; it 

 must be admitted that they practise polyandry. 

 As all know, it builds no nest, but is a parasite 

 pure and simple, foisting all the natural duties 

 and labours of a parent on to the shoulders of 

 its innocent little neighbours, and this, too, at 

 the expense of their own broods ; for it must be 

 remembered that for every young cuckoo raised 

 to maturity a whole family of its foster-brethren 

 are doomed to destruction. 



The foster-parents selected by the female 

 cuckoo belong, as a rule, to the various smaller 

 insect-eating birds, such as the tit-lark, hedge- 

 sparrow, redbreast, the wagtails, warblers and 

 the like, the tit-lark or meadow-pipit being with 

 us probably the most frequent victim. It is 

 evident that the nest must be found and noted 

 by the female cuckoo beforehand ; and it must 

 be owing to default in this respect that now and 

 again the egg of the cuckoo is found in most 

 unlikely and unsuitable nests, as, for instance, 

 those of the stock dove, jay, and even of the 

 little grebe. Such can only have been made 

 use of in the last extremity. When the nest 

 selected is sufficiently open and large, the egg 

 is laid in the usual way ; but in the case, fre- 



