8o A MIDLAND VILLAGE : GAKDEN AND MEADOW. 



instances at least the egg is dropped from the hill. A Kohin 

 built its nest in a hole in the wall of my garden, several inches 

 deep and with a rather narrow entrance : several eggs were laid 

 and all was going well. It was three or four days from my first 

 knowledge of the nest to my second visit, when I was greatly 

 annoyed to find all the eggs but one on the ground at the foot 

 of the wall, broken to fragments. I accused the hoy who filled 

 the office of boot-cleaner ; he was more or less of a pickle, but 

 he positively denied all complicity. Meanwhile in my indig- 

 nation I had forgotten to examine the remaining egg ; but the 

 mystery was soon solved. Noticing that the Eobins had not 

 deserted, I looked again after awhile and found a young Cuckoo. 

 The ugly wretch grew rapidly, and soon became too big for the 

 nest, so we hung him up in a basket on a branch, where the 

 Eobins continued to feed him. His aspect and temper were 

 those of a young fiend. If you looked at him, he would swell 

 with passion, and if you put your finger towards him, he would 

 rise up in the basket and ' go for it.' One fine morning he 

 disappeared and was never heard of more. 



In this case the egg was unquestionably deposited with the 

 bill, while the same instrument must have been used to eject 

 the Kobin's eggs, thus saving the young Cuckoo when hatched 

 the trouble of getting rid of the young Robins by muscular 

 exertions. Next year a Cuckoo's egg was laid in a Hedge- 

 sparrow's nest in an adjoining garden ; but the intended foster- 

 parents wisely deserted, and I was able to take possession of the 

 nest and eggs. Every year in June we are sure to notice a 

 persistent cuckooing close by us, and nearly every year an egg 



