178 Mr. G. D. Rowley on certain Facts in 



XVIII. On certain Facts in the Economy of the Cuckoo (Cuculus 



canorus). By George Dawson Rowley, M.A. 

 I HAVE lately made an analysis of the history of the Cuckoo 

 {Cuculus canorus, L.) as given by various British authors, namely 

 Yarrell/ Morris, Gould, and Wood, and, lastly, of the article in 

 the 'Naumannia' (1853, p. 307) by Dr. E. Baldamus. The 

 latter appeared to contain matter of so much interest, that I ob- 

 tained the assistance of a friend, and translated it. During the 

 past year (1864) I received nineteen Cuckoos' eggs, most of 

 which were seen by me in situ. In 1863 I obtained not quite so 

 many ; but in former years my opportunities have not been neg- 

 lected. With these materials, and after much careful observa- 

 tion for many years and in a good locality, I venture to say a 

 few words on the breeding of Cuculus canorus. 



Yarrell says that " the earliest egg does not appear to be laid 

 till the middle of May ;" and Mr. Morris follows him in the same 

 statement. Now, in the ' Ibis' for 1862 (p. 384), I recorded the 

 fact that a fresh egg of the Cuckoo was found on the 5th of May 

 of that year, in an otherwise eggless nest of Fringilla chloris, by 

 a friend of mine, while hunting for nests in my company ; and 

 I have in my collection a series of specimens, with the nests in 

 which they were deposited, from the date just mentioned down 

 to the 19th of July 1864; on which day the nest of a Titlark 

 [Anthus pratensis) was taken at Stanmer near Brighton, by a 

 person on whom I can rely, which contained five eggs of that 

 bird, and one of a Cuckoo, so small as hardly to exceed them in 

 size by any perceptible diflference. I have myself taken eggs of 

 the Cuckoo in July ; but the 19th is the latest date known to me. 

 Hence I may fairly say that the period of laying, with this bird, 

 extends from the beginning of May to the middle of July, as 

 proved by facts which have come to my own observation. 



Mr. Morris goes more into detail than any other author with 

 whose books I am acquainted; and I find that many of myobserva- 

 tions confirm his remarks. Mr. Gould, in his magnificent work on 

 the' Birds of Great Britain,' gives much information on the subject. 

 He draws attention to the article in the ' Naumannia,' which I 

 have mentioned above, but without passing an opinion on the 



