The Zoologist — May, 1873. 8511 



Further Remarks on the Colouring of Cuckoos^ Eggs. 

 By the Rev. A. C. Smith, M.A. 



T THINK I may venture to say that in the opinion of most orni- 

 thologists (1) the question of the colouring of cuckoos' eggs, 

 according to the theory of Dr. Baldamus, is an interesting one ; 

 and (2) whether it shall eventually be proved to be founded on 

 fact, or unfounded, at all events it deserves investigation. Such 

 being at all events my own opinion, I thought to contribute a 

 harmless, if not a useful, article on the subject, by sending to the 

 ' Zoologist ' for March last [S. S. 3433] a translation of what I 

 considered a very valuable paper, which was published in the 

 ' Journal fiir Ornilhologie ' ; but as I never dreamed of giving 

 offence to any body by so doing, I was considerably surprised at 

 the indignation which my unfortunate paper seems to have excited 

 in Mr. Hewitson's mind, and the vehemence with which he has 

 attacked me. Moreover, I cannot but think that in this matter I 

 have been somewhat hardly treated by that gentleman : but letting 

 that pass, I desire to reply to him as concisely as his many charges 

 against me will allow. 



Mr. Hewitson is undoubtedly a keen-eyed observer, for he has 

 discovered in my paper the following extraordinary points, all of 

 which had completely escaped the notice of the author: — (1) that 

 my paper was " a personal attack upon him ; " (2) that I had 

 styled him "a would-be ornithologist;" (3) that I "seem to think 

 I monopolise the love of truth ; " (4) that I am " angry with Eng- 

 lish ornithologists, because they have not been able to find evidence 

 in support of Dr. Baldamus' theory ;" and in addition to these heavy 

 charges he declares, (5) that it was through my misleading that he 

 had misunderstood Dr. Baldamus' theory from the first; and im- 

 plies (6) that I, as a comparative novice, have no right to hold an 

 opinion at variance with so old an ornithologist as himself; (7) 

 that the long series of cuckoos' eggs so carefully examined and 

 tabulated by the German naturalists were not laid by the cuckoo 

 at all ; and (8) that having commended the painstaking of those 

 indefatigable observers, I ought to advocate the cause of some 

 other gentleman, because he is a German, who seems to have 

 mistaken a nightjar for a cuckoo ! I will take these accusations 

 seriatim, and briefly reply to them. 



