OBSERVATIONS ON THE CUCKOO. 51 
arrival ; that of the female is widely different, and has 
been so little attended to, that few persons are ac- 
quainted with it ; it is thought, however, to bear some 
resemblance to the cry of the Little Grebe. 
Unlike the generality of birds, Cuckoos do not 
pair ; and as their eggs are seldom met with till about 
the middle of May, it is supposed that the females do 
not begin to lay till some weeks after their arrival. 
Cuckoos deposit their eggs in the nests of a great 
variety of small birds, intrusting them to the care of 
the Hedge-Warbler, Pied Wagtail, Titlark, Yellow 
Bunting, Greenfinch, Whinchat, &c. Among these 
they usually select the first three, but show a much 
‘greater partiality to the Hedge-Warbler than to any 
of the rest. The Hedge-Warbler commonly takes up 
four or five days in laying her eggs, and during this 
time (generally after she has laid one or two) the 
Cuckoo contrives to deposit hers among the rest. 
This intrusion often occasions some discomposure ; for 
the Hedge-Warbler, at intervals, whilst she is sitting, 
not unfrequently throws out some of her own eggs, 
and sometimes injures them in such a way that they 
become addled; however, she is rarely observed to 
throw out or injure that of the Cuckoo. She con- 
tinues to sit the same length of time as if no foreign 
egg had been introduced, the Cuckoo’s requiring no 
longer incubation than her own—nay, it frequently 
happens that it is hatched first. The Titlark is often 
selected by the Cuckoo to take charge of its off- 
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