254 ^ RURAL BIRD LIFE. 



size of the egg in comparison to the bird bears out my 

 belief. 



Mystery still hangs densely round much of the 

 Cuckoo's life history, and particularly in that part relating 

 to the production of its young. Any person in the 

 habit of studying the economy of the birds of the field is 

 well aware that the number of young Cuckoos seen in 

 a season, as compared with the adult birds, is very dis- 

 proportionate, sometimes not one solitary specimen being 

 seen, although the mature birds are the commonest 

 species we meet ; but we cannot explain it. From this 

 circumstance, however, I am led to believe that the 

 number of eggs deposited by the Cuckoo is far less than 

 is currently supposed. Then, again, we must not give 

 credence, notwithstanding the many instances brought 

 forward in favour thereof, to the seemingly well-received 

 story of the young Cuckoo ejecting its fellow-nestlings 

 at an age when no young bird in the creation (hatched 

 blind) is capable of such an act. Probably, gentle 

 reader, many a time thou hast paused in thy wander- 

 ings to examine a nest of newly hatched birds, — of any 

 species whose young are hatched blind — and upon 

 taking them in thy hand and observing them closely 

 thou wilt at once see that any great exertion on their 

 part is impossible. And as to their being capable of 

 ejecting one of their fellows, why, the thing is impossible. 

 Ay, and more so when we reflect that the mother bird 

 sits on her new-born young for a considerable time after 

 their breaking from the shell. 



The food of the Cuckoo is composed of insects and 

 caterpillars, the young birds being fed on this food by 

 their foster-parents. They are also accused of de- 

 stroying the eggs of birds, but certainly not those of 

 game, for their beak is not adapted to break the hard 



