THE CUCKOO IN THE PIPIT'S NEST. 



" We have now a fine series of Cuckoos' eggs, with those of the 

 bird in whose nest they were laid, showing in many cases a great 

 resemblance in colour, in others none at all. In some Hedge 

 Sparrows' nests the Cuckoos' eggs are as blue as the others ; but 

 in some they are of the more usual speckled-brown. It has been 

 doubted whether the blue eggs were really those of the Cuckoo, 

 but Mr Seebohm set the question at rest by taking an undoubted 

 young Cuckoo (with its very different feet from the Sparrow's) 

 from one of them. The Cuckoos' eggs vary much in colour, and, 

 generally speaking (though with many exceptions), show some 

 conformity to the eggs of the bird in whose nest they are laid. 



" The rationale of this is not understood. It is exceedingly 

 difficult to make close observations of their habits in a state 

 of nature. Many people say the Cuckoo lays its egg on the 

 ground, and carries it about in its bill until it finds a suitable 

 nest to put it in." 



I have told this curious fact to various of my friends. They 

 all exclaimed, " How does she do it ? Is the egg laid first, and 

 then a suitable nest sought for ? Or is the nest found first, then 

 an egg laid to order ? " I incline to the former view as the 

 more feasible ; also, that it is in favour of the opinion that the 

 egg is laid on the ground first. If it were laid in the nest with- 

 out previous inspection, she might perchance be surprised into 

 laying a green egg among speckled ones. 



The circumstances under which the accompanying sketch of 

 the young Cuckoo in the Pipit's nest was made are detailed in 

 the two following letters, which appeared in Nature, 14th March 

 18*72, and in the Lancet, 2nd July 1892. 



106 



