880 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XVII. 



Twice only during the year have we taken two eggs of the Cuckoo 

 in the same nest, and, in both cases, the two eggs were so much alike 

 that it is almost certain they must have been laid by the same bird. 



Of the 59 eggs taken this year, in six cases only has the egg been 

 found in a nest without any eggs of the fosterer. On the other hand, 

 we have often found fresh Cuckoos' eggs with hard set ones of the 

 foster-parent, showing that the Cuckoo must have found and left some 

 at least of the eggs belonging to the owner of the nest when depositing 

 its own eggs. 



At the same time it is more than probable that they often destroy 

 one or more of the eggs before depositing their own, as I have gene- 

 rally found that when nests contain a Cuckoo's egg the eggs of the 

 fosterer number somewhat less than a full clutch. 



The measurements of the eggs taken this year endorse very closely 

 my average given for previous years, but increase the length by *01", 

 as these eggs average '93" X '67" against *91" X '67", making a 

 total average for close on 100 eggs of *92" X "67". No less than 8 

 eggs measure one inch or more in length out of this year's lot, but on 

 the other hand one of them is smaller than any I have previously 

 taken, measuring only '80" X '61". No egg has exceeded in breadth 

 that taken by Colonel Rattray and only one has equalled it, this 

 being a very large egg measuring 1*04" X '75", the largest egg both 

 ways I have ever seen. In regard to colouration I have this year 

 taken many types which are quite new to me, the following of which 

 are the principal. The first type is, ground colour a very deep 

 yellow pink, more or less profusely spotted, speckled and blotched 

 throughout with indefinite markings of reddish- brown. In nearly all 

 the eggs of this type the markings are most numerous towards the 

 larger end, where they sometimes form a ring or cup, never very well 

 marked. 



These eggs grade into the common cream-coloured type with defi- 

 nite spots and specks, which are so commonly found in this country. 



The darkest forms are extremely like eggs of Bringa and some of 

 Dicrurus. 



Another type, of which I have some half a dozen specimens, has the 

 ground pi-actically white, perhaps with the faintest tinge of pink, and 

 the markings consist of well-defined, tiny specks of deep reddish brown, 

 with here and there a small blotch and more rarely a scriggly line or 



