Wizard Cuckoos 59 



of what has sometimes been suspected to be a 

 fable. Repeated observations have now placed 

 his accuracy beyond doubt. Before the young 

 cuckoo is two days old, and when there is still 

 but little difference in size between the young 

 birds of most of the fostering species and itself, 

 it wedges its body beneath that of the nestling 

 which has to be got rid of, and hoists it up to the 

 edge of the nest on its own broad back. It partly 

 holds it in place with its stumps of wings, which 

 it uses as sensitive organs of feeling to compensate 

 for absence of sight. Usually it works its way up 

 the side of the nest backwards, as it is still almost 

 unable to lift its heavy head; and sometimes the 

 victim falls forward into the nest again, and the 

 process has to be repeated. The young bird 

 generally falls from the edge of the nest as the 

 result of its own blind struggles ; it is sufficient 

 for the cuckoo to make sure that it does not slip 

 back into safety. After it has fallen outside, the 

 cuckoo can be seen feeling on this side and that 

 with its wings, to assure itself that there has been 

 no mistake about the success of the operation. 

 Nature's arrangements for the rearing of young 

 birds do not provide for the rescue or support of 

 any which tumble from their proper cradle, 

 whether a young cuckoo is the cause of the mishap, 

 or merely a high wind, or a badly built nest. In, 

 less than forty-eight hours from birth the rival 

 princes are out of the way, and the vagabond is 

 undisputed heir. 



There is no valid ground for the belief that the 



