3968 The Zoologist— May, 1874. 



kst spring fly directly to a titlark's nest as to a place -n-ith which she was 

 perfectly famihar, though he had never seen her there before ; and after 

 raising her head and looking round, as if to ascertain whether she was 

 noticed or not, she went and deposited her egg in the nest before the lark 

 began to lay. From these circumstances, and from the direct evidence of 

 my own senses, I consider this fact, then, as satisfactorily established ; and 

 it is of importance, inasmuch as it completely obviates a difficulty which 

 has greatly perplexed modern ornithologists, and which chiefly induced 

 Colonel Montagu to form his extraordinary but gratuitous opinion re- 

 specting the power of the cuckoo to retain its egg till it meets with a nest 

 in a suitable state to receive it." — P. 01. 



A great deal has been written to show that other birds in addi- 

 tion to the actual foster-parents assist in the commisariat of the 

 young cuckoo; the statements, although marvellous, seem well 

 authenticated, and have therefore been accepted as good Natural 

 History. Mr. Blackwall attributes this benevolent action to the 

 influence of the cry for food, which is always heard when we 

 approach a nest; it would appear that the language is universally 

 understood among parent-birds — a theory that renders the following 

 passage peculiarly interesting: — 



" I have been favoured with a communication from Mr. Eaton, of York, 

 which places the subject under consideration in a somewhat different light 

 from that in which it has been viewed by any preceding ornithologist. 

 Mr. Eaton informs me that in tbe summer of 1827 Captain Porter, who 

 resides near the city of York, discovered a hedge warbler's nest in his 

 garden containing a young cuckoo only, the nestling hedge warblers, all of 

 which had been ejected by this formidable intruder, being found dead near 

 the spot. The nest and its occupant were taken by the Captain and put 

 into a cage, which was placed on the summit of a pole in the garden. In 

 this situation the foster-parents speedily visited their captive charge, and, 

 resuming their attentions, continued to feed it with great assiduity ; but 

 their most strenuous exertions failing to satisfy its increasing voracity, 

 a third hedge warbler was induced to co-operate with them in their arduous 

 undertaking. As the young cuckoo advanced in growth a still more ample 

 provision of food became requisite, and a spotted flycatcher lent its assistance 

 also in supplying the urgent demands of its appetite. It may be here 

 remarked that the purpose of these birds in visiting the young cuckoo, 

 from the numerous observations which were made upon them, and the 

 favourableness of the situation and circumstances for ensuring accuracy, 

 could not be mistaken. I shall now proceed to notice the most novel and 

 important fact detailed in Mr. Eaton's interesting narrative — namely, the 



