SILENCE OF SINGING BIRDS. 147 



When birds come to suffer by severe frost, I find 

 that the first that come to die are the red-wing 

 fieldfares, and then the song- thrushes. 



You wonder, with good reason, that the hedge 

 sparrows, &c. can be induced at all to sit on the 

 egg of the cuckoo without being scandalized at 

 the vast disproportioned size of the supposititious 

 egg; but the brute creation, I suppose, have 

 very little idea of size, colour, or number l . For 

 the common hen, I know, when the fury of incu- 

 bation is on her, will sit on a single shapeless 

 stone, instead of a nest full of eggs that have 

 been withdrawn ; and, moreover, a hen turkey, in 

 the same circumstances, would sit on, in the empty 

 nest, till she perished with hunger. 



I think the matter might easily be determined 

 whether a cuckoo lays one or two eggs, or more, 

 in a season, by opening a female during the 

 laying time. If more than one was come down 

 out of the ovary, and advanced to a good size, 

 doubtless then she would that spring lay more 

 than one. 



I will endeavour to get a hen, and to examine. 



Your supposition, that there may be some 

 natural obstruction in singing birds while they 

 are mute, and that when this is removed the song 

 recommences, is new and bold. I wish you could 

 discover some good grounds for this suspicion. 



I was glad you were pleased with my specimen 

 of the caprimulgus, or fern-owl ; you were, I find, 

 acquainted with the bird before. 



When we meet, I shall be glad to *iave some 

 conversation with you concerning the proposal 



1 By a wise provision of nature, and to prevent the very 

 circumstance which Mr. White here notices, we find the 

 egg of the cuckoo scarcely larger than that of the common 

 chaffinch. W. J. 



L 2 



