32 A BUSH CALENDAR 



whether the cuckoo would place her own egg in the nest, 

 but on returning two days later, found the third egg had been 

 turned out. I suppose the cuckoo was not ready to lay, and 

 wanted to start the wrens afresh, so that they could have a 



CHESTNUT-SHOULDERED WREN (female) 



nest prepared by the time she was ready. Cuckoos are given 

 to cool habits of this kind. 



Other birds which have returned from their northward 

 flight are the kingfisher and the native canary. All day long the 

 running liquid song qf the latter sounds amid the saplings, 



