214 MISCELLANEA. 



over the edge of the nest. Immediately after this proceeding 

 the old Hedge Accentor came on to the edge of the nest, and 

 stooped down with its head into the nest, and took some white 

 matter into its mouth (I think excrement from the young birds) 

 and swallowed it. The old bird went on to the nest and off 

 again four or five times in about two hours. I left for breakfast 

 at eight o'clock, the old bird sitting on the nest. Returned at 

 half -past eight. The old bird was off' the nest, and the young 

 and eggs as before lying (,j[uiet at the bottom of the nest. I don't 

 think the young birds have been fed yet. The old bird has re- 

 turned and is sitting on the nest. I feel sure that the old bird 

 takes the dung from the young birds and eats it. The old bird 

 remained off about ten minutes at a time. She is back and on 

 the nest again this time in a minute or two. She appeared to be 

 very uneasy and uncomfortable, raising her wings and standing 

 on her legs in the nest. In this position she made a kind of 

 shuffle, and in a moment the Cuckoo was on the back of the 

 Hedge Accentor, and in another moment the Accentor was off 

 the nest and the Cuckoo into the nest oft' her back : what this 

 meant it is impossible to say. The mother was off for about 

 ten minutes, and then on again and off, and when off an Accen- 

 tor's egg was put on to the edge of the nest by the young Cuckoo 

 in my presence. This was at half -past ten. The egg rested on 

 the edge of the nest for some time, and then it fell down into 

 the bush, by the movements of the old bird on the edge of the 

 nest. The Cuckoo then fell into the bottom of the nest, ap- 

 parently in a very agitated state and overpowered or exhausted 

 by the effort. The mother then returned again to the nest, and 

 proceeded as before in taking off the dung from the young and 

 eating it. She remained a very short time on the nest, but 

 seemed very uneasy, raising herself and standing in the nest. 

 The Cuckoo seems to be increasing in bulk, and is much agitated, 

 lying at the bottom of the nest. The two young Accentors lay 

 motionless at the bottom of the nest, whilst the Cuckoo kept 

 moving its wings like hands as if to excite or stir its companions 

 into action. In about twenty-five minutes the Cuckoo made two 

 desperate efforts to get one of the young Accentors flung over 



