THE CUCKOO. 



the Cuckoo lays as many as five eggs 

 during a season, and although only 

 one specimen as a rule is found in the 

 nest of an intended foster-parent, as 

 many as three may be met wth, but 

 whether deposited by the same indi^d- 

 dual or not, it is, of course, impossible 

 to say. Hedge Sparrows and Robins 

 are the greatest victims, but even the 

 Jay, \^'ood Pigeon, and Carrion Crow 

 have been successfully imposed upon. 



\^'ith a ^dew to finding out whether 

 the deceptive path of the bird that 

 " tells its name to all the hills around " 

 is a smooth one or not, some years ago 

 I had four wooden eggs made and 

 painted to resemble those of the Song 

 Thrush. I tried my counterfeits upon 

 several- different species, such as Star- 

 lings'; Song Thrushes, and Graslhopper 

 ^^"arblers, and deceived them., straight 



YOUNG CUCKOO WAITING FOR 

 ITS FOSTER-MOTHER WITH FOOD, 



