Mrs. Blackburn's Drawing. 15 



with a hitch threw the poor thing out. Further 

 observations made by this lady went anew to prove 

 that the growth of the upper bone of the wing in the 

 young cuckoo is exceptionally quick, and that this 

 part is exceptionally strong — simply, as it would 

 seem, to arm it with full resource for this instinct of 

 deadly self-preservation which it possesses. Mr. J. 

 E. Harting in Our Sninmer Migrants reproduced Mrs. 

 Blackburn's drawing of the young cuckoo throwing 

 out the pipits. 



Mrs. Blackburn adds that the young cuckoo was 

 " perfectly naked, without the vestige of a feather, 

 or even a hint of future feathers ; its eyes were not 



