Mr. J. L. Davidson's Report. 227 



Now, if three cases like these have been observed 

 by one man, is it not possible that many might be 

 observed if people generally were as observant. The 

 more recent the books, or magazines, or journals we 

 have consulted, the more definite are they on this 

 head, with new instances many. 



Mr. J. L. Davidson, of Lockport, N.G., writes 

 this to the Auk, 1887, pp. 263-4 • 



" I have the eggs of Coccyzns Americanus and C. 

 erytlirophthalmus, taken from nests of the wood 

 thrush — two of the former and one of the latter. 1 

 also found a nest of Merula migratoria (American 

 robin) taken possession of by Coccyzns Americanus 

 before it was finished, which was filled nearly full of 

 rootlets ; and in this condition the robin laid one 

 egg and the cuckoo laid two, and commenced incuba- 

 tion, when a mourning dove {Zenaidiira macroura) 

 also occupied it, and laid two eggs, and commenced 

 incubation with the cuckoo. I found both birds on 

 the nest at the same time, when I secured nest and 

 eggs. The eggs of the robin and cuckoo were slightly 

 incubated; those of the mourning dove were fresh." 

 The above was published in The Forest and Stream, 

 August 24th, 1882, p. 65. 



" I have also a nest of Sayornis phcehe, in which a 

 robin's egg is nearly embedded, and another of this 

 same species with, a cowbird's egg quite covered over. 

 The latter is found in the nests of small birds, but I 

 have found them covered up, except in this instance, 

 only by the goldfinch and summer warbler." 



We have an instance or two of black-billed cuckoos 

 laying in disused crows' nests, which shows the dis- 

 like to nest building, and this dislike itself might 



