172 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Probable cause for not building a nest. 



appeared to have the advantage, as each carried 

 the other several times nearly to the top of the 

 nest, and again sank down oppressed by the 

 weight of its burthen ; till at length, after various 

 efforts, the strongest prevailed, and was after- 

 wards brought up by the hedge-sparrows." 



Undoubtedly no reason can be assigned from 

 the formation of this bird, why, in common with 

 others, it should not build a nest, incubate its eggs, 

 and rear its own young ; for it is in every respect, 

 perfectly formed for all these offices. The only 

 cause which can be assigned for these singulari- 

 ties is, the short residence this bird is allowed to 

 make in the country where it is destined to pro- 

 pagate its species, and the call that nature has 

 upon it during that short residence to produce a 

 numerous progeny. The cuckoo's first appear- 

 ance here is about the middle of April ; its egg 

 is not ready for incubation till some weeks after 

 its arrival, seldom before the middle of May. A 

 fortnight is taken up by the sitting bird in hatch- 

 ing the egg. The young bird generally conti- 

 nues three weeks in the nest before it flies, and 

 the foster-parents feed it more than five weeks 

 after this period ; so that if a cuckoo should be 

 ready with an egg much sooner than the time 

 pointed out, not a single nestling, even of the 

 earliest, would be fit to provide for itself before 

 its parent, would be instinctively directed to seek 

 a new residence, and be thus compelled to aban- 

 don its offspring; for the old birds take their 

 6 



