OF iS'OKTHTTMBEELAIfD AND DUEHAK. 25 



and tlie Willow Wren. That of tlie Meadow Pipit appears to 

 be its favourite, as more tlian half of the numher of the Cuckoo's 

 eggs taken are found in the nests of this species. 



The occurrence of the Cuckoo's egg in the "Willow Wren's nest 

 is of much interest. This has only once occurred in our district, 

 namely, near Winlaton Mill, in May, 1870, as I am informed by 

 Mr. Isaac Clark, of Blaydon, and a better or more trustworthy 

 observer cannot exist. Other instances of the kind are however 

 known. M. Montbeillard gives testimony as to the Cuckoo's 

 egg having been taken out of the nest of the Willow Wren, but 

 the fact has been questioned, as it is quite evident that the 

 Cuckoo could not enter the Wren's nest, which is domed, and 

 the entrance is at the side and very small, being just of suffi- 

 cient size to permit the Wren to pass in and out. It appears, 

 however, that Vaillant "obtained pretty satisfactory evidence 

 that one at least of the African Cuckoos carries the egg in her 

 bill." It is clear that this must also be the case with our Europ- 

 ean species, unless we refuse to believe both the testimony of M. 

 Montbeillard, and the fact I have just recorded respecting the 

 occurrence of the Cuckoo's eggs in the Willow Wren's nests. 

 It appears to me that such evidence cannot be ignored ; and more- 

 over there is the case mentioned by Dr. Jenner*^ of a Cuckoo's 

 egg found in a Wagtail's nest, in a hole under the eaves of a cot- 

 tage, in which the difficulty is just as great as in the cases of 

 the Cuckoo's eggs in the Willow Wren's nests. 



In 1853, Dr. Baldamus published a paper, in which he main- 

 tains that the eggs of the Cuckoo partake of the colour of those 

 of the foster parents. I have seen a great number of the eggs of 

 this bird, but nothing to warrant in the least degree this opinion. 

 Indeed, the eggs of the Cuckoo vary less than those of most other 

 Passeres, and any such change of colour as the above would be a 

 mere futile effort of nature. Birds do not discriminate nicely the 

 colours or other characters of their eggs : the Barn-door Fowl will 

 sit on chalk eggs. Duck's eggs. Pheasant's eggs. Partridge's eggs, 

 Guinea Fowl's eggs, or almost any kind that is put into its nest. 



Mr. Thomas Craster, Janitor of the Museum of the iNfewcastle 



* MontagTx's Ornithological Dictionary, 2ud Ed., p. 120. 



