288 ANIMALS AT WORK AND PLAY 



it from the nest it remained in this situa- 

 tion a short time, feeling about with the extremity of 

 its wing, as if to be convinced that the business was 

 properly executed, and then dropped back into the 

 nest again.' This was a newly-hatched cuckoo ; and 

 even Waterton rejected the story as incredible. Mrs 

 Blackburn saw the same operation, and not only 

 describes it, but has drawn the scene with wonderful 

 skill. The almost blind, naked cuckoo, with its head 

 so big and neck so weak that the former drops for- 

 ward as if it were dead, is standing almost on tiptoe 

 backing a half-fledged young pipit out of the nest. 

 ' The most singular thing,' she writes, ' was the way 

 in which the blind little monster made for the open 

 side of the nest, the only part where it could throw 

 its burden down the bank. I think all the spectators 

 were struck with horror and awe at the apparent 

 inadequacy of the creature's intelligence to its acts.' 



Both Mr Kearton and Mrs Blackburn have 

 pictures of eagles' nests. Of the two, the latter is 

 the more interesting. The pencil has beaten the 

 camera. But Mr Kearton's photograph was taken 

 under great difficulties. It shows a pair of downy 

 eaglets, lying flat on a ' messy ' nest of small twigs 

 and rubbish, with a half-plucked mountain hare beside 

 them. Mrs Blackburn was able to draw her eaglet 

 from a rock close by ; and she has added what is 



