THE CUCKOO. 173 



Observations on the conduct of the young. 



final leave of this country the first week in July. 

 Mr. Jenner, on this subject observes, " There 

 seems no precise time fixed for the departure of 

 young cuckoos. I believe they go off in succes- 

 sion, probably as soon as they are capable of 

 taking care of themselves: for although they 

 stay here till they become nearly equal in size, 

 and in growth of plumage, to the parent, yet in 

 this very state the fostering care of the hedge- 

 sparrow is not withdrawn from them. I have 

 frequently seen the young cuckoo of such a size, 

 that the hedge-sparrow has perched on its back, 

 or half-expanded wing, in order to gain sufficient 

 elevation to put the food into its mouth. At this 

 advanced age it is probable that the young cuc- 

 koos procure some food for themselves; like the 

 young rook, for instance, which in part feeds 

 itself, and is partly fed by the old ones, till the 

 approach of the pairing season." 



The young cuckoos are directed also by the 

 same instinctive impulse which induces the pa- 

 rent to deposit her eggs in the nests of other 

 birds, as soon as hatched to throw out the eggs 

 and young of the owner of the nest. The scheme 

 of nature would be incomplete without this; for 

 it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, 

 for the birds destined to find nourishment for the 

 cuckoo, to find it also for their own young ones, 

 after a certain period; nor would there be room, 

 in the same nest for them all to inhabit. 



Notwithstanding the above well-attested in- 



