268 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 



Grey Wagtail, ' Zoologist ' for 1863. 



Meadow Pipit. 



Eock Pipit, 'Zoologist 'for 1863, and YarrelL 



Skylark, ' Zoologist' for 1863, and YarrelL 



Woodlark, ' Zoologist.' 



Yellowharamer, YarrelL 



Chaffinch, YarrelL 



Greenfinch, YarrelL 



Linnet, 'Zoologist 'for 1863. 



The fact that two Cuckoo's eggs are occasionally 

 found in one nest has led to some discussion as to 

 whether they belong to the same bird or to different 

 ones ; this question has not yet been quite satis- 

 factorily cleared up. The better opinion seems to 

 me to be that the eggs are placed there by two 

 different birds, the old Cuckoo being probably aware 

 that one such gormandizer as its own young would 

 be quite sufficient for the foster-parents, and that 

 they would not be equal to the support of more than 

 one. It is very probable, however, that a Cuckoo 

 wanting to deposit an egg, when it finds a convenient 

 nest, drops it in, without taking any particular notice 

 of the fact that occupation of the nest has already 

 been taken by one of its own species. When this 

 takes place, and the two young Cuckoos are hatched, 

 the struggle for existence between them must be 

 tremendous, as, being of nearly equal size and weight, 

 neither of them would be able to put in practice its 

 usual summary method of ejecting the legitimate 

 tenants of the nest, by hoisting them over the side. 



