£XX1 



""1. The eg'gs of Cv.culus cmiorus; vary more in colour and 

 '^;u.;i..gs thau those of any other bird. 



"2. The ii'jo.^t important cliaracters of the e.£rgs of Cucn.lus 

 cuuj,\:s are their form, the Aveight o£ their shells, and 

 above all their thichness and hardness. 



"3. The i]ja;ority of tJie eggs oi Cu cuius cunorus resemble 

 in colour and markings the type of one of our common 

 Passerine Birds ; while some shovr a kind of mixed 

 type (' IMischtypus ■"), and some do not exactly re- 

 sei::bie any kno^TH eggs, 



■'■ 4. Ti.ie eggs laid in the nests of Ruticilla phcenicurus 

 in.Ci Fr'nigilla montifringilla are ntarly always like 

 those of the nest-ovrners in colour and markings 

 (57 out of 67 in those o£ the former^ and all in those 

 of the latter). Imitations are also common in nests 

 of Sylvia cinerea, Sylvia hortensis, Acrocejjhalus 

 afreperuc, and A. ph7'affmitis, Tvhile they are rare in 

 others, and never yet found in nests of Troglodytes 

 parvul'i'S, Accentor modularis, and the different P/;y//o- 

 scopi. In most countries it may be said that there are 

 many mm'e Cuckoos^ eggs which do not imitate those 

 of other birds than there are successful imitations. 



" 5. -\iost Cuckoos are in the habit of placing their eggs in 

 nests of one species of bird, and take to other nests 

 only if they cannot find their habitual nests. 



••'6. They use, as a rule, one and the same district (mostly 

 very limited) for depositing their eggs yeai' after 

 year. 



" 7. Neither tJie ovary nor the development of the eggs of the 

 Cuckoos differ in any way from those of other birds. 



"' 8. TliC female Cuckoo lays about 20 eggs every year, and 



these are laid on alternate days. 

 " 9. Each female Cuckoo lays similar eggs during its life. 



■' .10. Each female lays only one egg in one nest. If more 

 than one be found they invariably belong to different 

 females. 



" 11. The time v.-hen the females lay varies greatly, 



" 12. The female removes, in most cases (but not always), 

 some of the eggs of the nest-owners.'"' 



