214 



16 



described. Two sons of Mr. David Tripeny, farmer in Coxmuir, asserted to me that on Sunday 

 forenoon, the 24th of June 1838, when they were sitting in a plantation tending their cattle, 

 they saw a Cuckoo alight at no great distance from them upon a hillock of moss. It picked up 

 an egg with its bill, and after having looked round about as if to ascertain whether there was 

 any one in sight, hopped away with it amongst the heath. The lads immediately ran to the 

 place into which they observed it descend ; and when at a distance of about six feet they saw it 

 rise from the side of a Titlark's nest, into which it had introduced its head. In the nest, which 

 was arched over with strong heath, and had a narrow entrance from the side, there was a newly 

 dropped Cuckoo's egg along with one of 'the Titlark's own. As I have no reason to doubt the 

 accuracy of this observation, it confirms the statement of the celebrated Levaillant with respect 

 to the Gilded Cuckoo (although the correctness of it is questioned by some) — namely, that she 

 puts her eggs into different kinds of nests by conveying them with her bill — and satisfactorily 

 accounts for the way in which the common Cuckoo, in some instances at least, is enabled to 

 deposit her eggs. 



" Two eggs of the Cuckoo are sometimes dropped in the same nest. One forenoon about 

 the middle of June last, in the nest of a Titlark in my neighbourhood built amongst heath, 

 and which contained three eggs, there were two Cuckoo's eggs. In this nest it was observed that 

 the Cuckoo's eggs were hatched fully a day sooner than those of the Titlark. On the third or 

 fourth day after this the young Titlarks were found lying dead on the ground, and the Cuckoos 

 were in possession of the nest. They remained together in it nearly five days. On the morning 

 of the sixth day, however, one of them had disappeared ; and the other, which was the strongest, 

 was brought up by its foster-parents until it was able to provide for itself. It is very probable 

 that the young birds, which so soon disappear after they have been ejected from their nests, are 

 carried away by mice, as these animals prowl about at night in pursuit of their food. I have 

 heard the old Cuckoos crying during every hour of the day and night. They cease to emit their 

 notes about the middle of July, and are seldom seen beyond that time. The young disappear 

 about the middle or end of September." 



It has been stated by Bechstein, as well as by several other authors, that when a young 

 Cuckoo calls for food, not only its foster-parents but any other small birds that are near will 

 bring food to it, preferring, if necessary, to supply its wants rather than to carry food to their 

 own offspring ; but other careful observers deny this, and affirm that, although the foster-parents 

 will exert themselves to the utmost to satisfy the ever craving appetite of their unwieldy foster- 

 child, yet any other birds will pass it with indifference, and should it be deprived of its foster- 

 parents it would in all probability be starved to death. 



The specimens figured are the adult male and young bird above described. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, d , b, 2 . Hampstead, near London, May 20th, 1869 {Davy), c, $ . Cookham, Berks, May 6th, 1869 (Ford). 

 d, d. Cookham, June 9th, 1869 (Godfrey). e } 6. West Drayton, June 20th, 1869 (Paraman). f,6. 



