914 The Zoologist— September, 1867. 



escaped prisoner, a voluntary immigrant or a mere abnormity, must remain open. — 

 Edward Newman.'] 



A Young Cuckoo in the Nest of a Meadow Pipit. — When crossing Crowuhill Down, 

 near Plyrapton S. Mary, Devon, on tlie 9lh of last July, I saw a meadow pipit fly up 

 from the common, and soon found Lev nest, with a very recently hatched young cuckoo, 

 perfectly bare of feathers, within it, and on its edge a little live pipit, quite as young, 

 which had evidently been recently turned out of it. I replaced it in the nest, to see 

 how the occupier of it would act; and the cuckoo soon began to use its utmost endea- 

 vours to eject the pipit. By means of the tips of its wings, which seemed to me to be 

 peculiarly curved (but not having studied the anatomy of young birds generally, 

 I speak thus cautiously) and its hooked tenacious claws, both of which it stuck into 

 the materials of the nest to assist it in elevating its body, with the pipit on it, the 

 cuckoo brought the pipit to the vim of the nest two or three times, and tried to throw 

 it out; but this the cuckoo did not succeed in doing whilst I watched it, for perhaps 

 move than half an hour, on account of the impediments that branches of ling and tufts 

 of coavse grass presented around those pavts of the nest to which, unfortunately for 

 itself, it happened to bring its burden. Once the cuckoo jammed the pipit between 

 itself and a dead stump of ling slicking up outside the nest. So much was the nest 

 enclosed that the only place where the cuckoo was likely to have succeeded in effecting 

 its object was where I found the young pipit at first, and where I have no doubt it had 

 deposited it. At last I became impatient, as I was losing time I had intended to 

 have devoted to botanizing, but knowing the fate that would befall the young pipit if 

 left in the nest, I considered it an act of mercy to take it out and kill it before I went 

 away, and left the young cuckoo to take its chance in a world where unfortunately 

 right is sometimes not move respected by men thau it is by cuckoos. — T. R. Archer 

 Briggs; 4, Portland Villas, Plymouth, August 11, 1867. 



Cuckoos at Peckham. — I have to record the capture of two cuckoos at Peckham : 

 the first was taken alive, and was offered me while living by Mr. Murray, our talented 

 botanist; the second was caught by a cat and brought me by Mr. Reid, of York 

 Terrace. Both were females. The dates are July 29 and August 1. The cuckoo's 

 note has not been heard here for weeks. — Edward Newman. 



Singular Position of a Cuckoo's Egg. — My friend Mr. Herring, the Rector of 

 Fordham, near Colchester, related to me the other day the following pretty little bit of 

 Natural History. In his polling-shed was an old hamper filled wilh moss, and in this 

 snug spot a robin built its nest, laid and sat upon its eggs. To his dismay, 

 Mr. Herring one morning found three young ones on the floor of the shed alive: he 

 carefully replaced them, but the next morning they were again on the floor, but all 

 dead: on examining the nest carefully, he found it to contain an addled egg and a 

 young cuckoo, who henceforth remained the sole object of Mr. and Mrs. Robin's care. 

 The youngster was thriving last week. — C. R. Bree ; July 9 r— From the ' Field.' 



[An exactly parallel case is noticed in White's ' Selbovne.' — E. Newman ] 



Cuckoo placing her Egg in the Nest by means of her Bill. — As this seems to be a 

 point at present under discussion amongst ornithologists, I can offer evidence 

 favourable to the supposition that the cuckoo first lays her egg, and then taking it up 

 places it in the nest wilh her bill. Some years ago I took a cuckoo's egg from the 

 nest of a common wagtail built under the thatch of ouv cow-house, but so placed lhat 

 it was simply impossible for any bird the size of a cuckoo to have got upon the nest 

 to lay the egg in it. — W. Jesse. 



