VOL. XV.] ANOTHER CUCKOO RECORD. 181 



its first egg on this day and its second on the 14th. This 

 morning the Cuckoo was very busy and in the company of 

 two males hung about the vicinity of this nest all the morning. 

 At i.o p.m. there was no change in its condition, but at 

 2.30 p.m., when I returned to the marshes after lunch, the 

 Cuckoo had deposited her first egg, removing one Reed- 

 Warbler's egg at the same time. 



On May i6th she deposited her egg in the second nest, 

 which by this time had got its second egg, removing one of 

 these at the same time. On the i8th the third Reed-Warbler's 

 nest held its second egg and the Cuckoo deposited her third 

 egg in this, removing one Reed-Warbler's egg as before. 



History was repeating itself, the Cuckoo availing herself 

 of the most suitable nests as they became ready and depositing 

 her eggs at the old times, namely, not btfore i p.m. and 

 not after 2.30 p.m. This is what she did throughout 1919 

 and 1920 without exception. It was not until May 21st 

 that I found another Reed-Warbler's nest. This had two 

 eggs on May 24th and there was not another nest on the 

 marshes in a suitable condition. At 1.25 p.m. the female 

 Cuckoo came over with her two males and settled in a tall 

 hawthorn immediately over it. She then flew into the reed- 

 bed with one of the males, the other remaining in the hawthorn. 

 The male Cuckoo came out first with the two Reed- Warblers 

 in hot pursuit. He engaged their attention for some thirty 

 seconds, when the female left the reeds bubbling and flew 

 right off the marsh in the company of her two males. I let 

 them get away, when I ran to the nest and found the Cuckoo's 

 egg in it and a Reed- War bier's egg missing. On the 26th 

 she laid again in a nest containing two eggs, removing one 

 of them as before, but on this date there was another nest 

 on the marshes with two eggs also. On the 28th I visited 

 this and found it with a Cuckoo's egg ; but this time two of 

 the Reed-W^ar bier's eggs had been removed, for on this date 

 there were four. A careful survey of the incidents connected 

 with the laying of these six eggs proves beyond all doubt 

 the Cuckoo's wonderful inherited instinct for finding the 

 most suitable nests. She made a break of four clear days 

 following this, laying her next egg on June 2nd. By this 

 time the condition of the reeds had considerably improved, 

 and in consequence there were quite a number of nests in a 

 fit condition to meet the Cuckoo's requirements. Little 

 need be said as to the actual depositions of her remaining 

 twelve eggs, which were laid on the following dates : June 5th, 

 7th, 9th, nth, 13th, 17th, 2oth, 23rd, 27th, 29th, and July 4th, 



