226 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. xiv. 



seconds laid and deposited her egg in the second nest of No. 8 

 pair of Meadow-Pipits. We had not known of this nest until 

 the Cuckoo had shown it to us, and on going up to it found 

 her i6th egg, plus one of the fosterer's. On her flights to the 

 nest she had been accompanied by her intended dupes. 



17TH Egg. 



This egg marked a break in the Cuckoo's regular laying 

 at forty-eight hour intervals, which in the light ol my theory 

 (to be thoroughly explained in my book) as to the circum- 

 stances necessary for a Cuckoo to lay a large series in unbroken 

 sequence may be regarded as at least highly probable even 

 if not actually anticipated. We had hoped to see her lay 

 this egg on the afternoon of the 14th. That she was on the 

 common at 2.30 and at 3.10 we had had evidence. At 4 p.m. 

 she flew across just prior to a terrific thunderstorm which 

 lasted until 5.30. Nothing further being seen of her, we 

 retired at 6.30. On the next and subsequent days it can 

 be well imagined that the closest possible search was made 

 for the egg which, according to schedule, should have been 

 laid on the afternoon of the 14th. There was a nest ready 

 for her on the 14th, and she had been seen to watch these 

 fosterers on both the 12th and 13th. Having now considered 

 the matter from every point of view, I have definitely con- 

 cluded that she in fact did not lay between the 12th and i6th, 

 and shall give my reasons at length when the full record of 

 this Cuckoo is published. 



June i6th. — To-day the Cuckoo was seen from 2.20 to 3.40 

 to sit motionless in a tree as though contemplating laying. 

 She then floated to the ground and showed us the nest of 

 No. 6 pair of Meadow-Pipits, containing one egg. Imme- 

 diately she glided onwards, chased by the Pipits, until she 

 was lost to view amidst the trees. We saw no more of her 

 before we adjourned for tea at 4.30. Returning at 5.30 — 

 it had been raining heavily in the meanwhile — a Cuckoo 

 flew across, bubbling, accompanied by a male. I went to 

 look at the nest of No. i pair, thinking that she might have 

 laid there in my absence, but this she had not done. Whilst 

 standing thereabouts at 5.45 I caught sight of a Cuckoo 

 flying up from the spot where the fourth nest of No. 5 pair 

 had been found with one egg a few hours previously, and 

 putting up my glasses T believed I detected an egg in her beak. 

 On going over there I found the 17th egg of the Cuckoo alone 

 in the nest. 



This being the day and time due for what would have been 

 the i8th egg, according to the rate of laying of the first sixteen 



