The Cuckoo 313 



getting the egg high enough to roll it over the edge of the 

 nest. Immediately after this proceeding the old Hedge 

 Accentor came on to the edge of the nest, and stooped 

 down with its head into the nest, and took some white 

 matter into its mouth (I think excrement from the young 

 birds) and swallowed it. 



" The old bird went on to the nest and off again four or 

 five times in about two hours. I left for breakfast at eight 

 o'clock, the old bird sitting on the nest. Returned at half- 

 past eight. The old bird was off the nest, and the young 

 and eggs, as before, were lying quiet at the bottom of the 

 nest. I don't think the young birds have been fed yet. 

 The old bird has returned and is sitting on the nest. I feel 

 sure that the old bird takes the dung from the young bird 

 and eats it. The old bird remained off about ten minutes 

 at a time. She was back and on the nest again this time in 

 a minute or two. She appeared to be very uneasy and 

 uncomfortable, raising her wings and standing on her legs 

 in the nest. In this position she made a kind of shuffle, 

 and in a moment the Cuckoo was on the back of the 

 Hedge Accentor, and in another moment the Accentor was 

 off the nest and the Cuckoo into the nest off her back : 

 what this meant it is impossible to say. The mother was 

 off for about ten minutes, and then on again and off, and 

 when off an Accentor's egg was put on to the edge of the 

 nest by the young Cuckoo in my presence. This was at 

 half-past ten. The egg rested on the edge of the nest for 

 some time, and then it fell down into the bush by the 

 movements of the old bird on the edge of the nest. The 

 Cuckoo then fell into the bottom of the nest, apparently in 

 a very agitated state and overpowered or exhausted by the 

 effort. The mother then returned again to the nest, and 

 proceeded as before in taking off the dung from the young 

 and eating it. She remained a very short time on the nest, 

 but seemed very uneasy, raising herself and standing in the 



