270 
AESIS AND EGGS OF 
more retired situations. On this occasion it was discovered that when the 
young were all hatched together, the duty of feeding devolved upon one 
or the other parent, both never being absent from the nest at the same 
time. But, on the other hand, where the young are hatched at irregular 
intervals, the non-incubating bird assumes the duty of providing nourish- 
ment both for his mate and early-hatched young, while the other is occu- 
pied with the cares of incubation. When the young are able to quit the 
nest, which they do in little more than a fortnight after hatching, the 
parents hail the event with great joy. Their efforts to induce them from 
the nest at first are rather amusing, and evince extreme patience and 
thorough good-will. But when the step is once taken, their odd, curious 
gestures betoken the highest pleasure and satisfaction. The young are 
now almost old enough to care for themselves. 
Never more than a single brood is annually raised in Pennsylvania, 
although Mr. Nuttall affirms that several are brought out, according to 
his observations. His opinion appears to have been based upon the dis- 
covery of eggs as late as August 28. In some localities this may be so, 
but we cannot find any record thereof. The same distinguished writer 
has recorded the finding of a Cuckoo’s egg in the nest of a Catbird, and 
another as late as the fifteenth of July, in a Eobin’s nest. These were 
considered at first as rare, if not incredible instances, but latterly, we have 
some well-authenticated cases of such parasitism. These observations, 
coupled with others equally as important which have been recorded, tend 
to show a close relationship between our American Cuckoo and their not 
very distant European brother. 
The eggs of this bird are oblong-oval, less spherical than those of the 
Black-bill, and have an equal obtuseness at each end. They are of light 
bluish-green color, and, like those of the other, are quite apt to fade on 
exposure to light, thus rendering them difficult of distinction. The ave- 
rage measurement is 1.22 inches in length, and .94 in width, althougli 
specimens are occasionally found which show marked variations in size, 
some being smaller, but few exceeding these dimensions. 
