OBSERVATIONS ON THE CUCKOO. 83 
the economy of the Cuckoo, that the nest discovered 
by Mr. Wilmot’s labourer did not belong to a bird 
of that species ; indeed, from its situation and con- 
tents, there can scarcely be a doubt that it was a 
Goatsucker’s. We are informed by Mr. Wilmot that 
in the beginning of July this nest contained three 
eggs, two of which were hatched several days after 
his attention was first directed to them, and that the 
parental duties of the mother towards her offspring 
were duly exercised till her last remaining nestling 
(one having been removed by some unknown cause) 
was nearly full-feathered, which could not have been 
less than eighteen or twenty days from its extrication 
from the egg. These, it will appear, are important 
facts; for, as old Cuckoos quit this kingdom early in 
July *, they plainly show that Mr. Wilmot’s observa- 
tions and those of his friends must have been made 
under the delusive influence of false impressions ; 
and this opinion is confirmed by the peaceable 
manner in which the young birds occupied the nest 
while they continued together. Perhaps it may be 
imagined, by those to whom the arguments already 
advanced do not appear conclusive, that the maternal 
affection of the parent bird induced her to remain so 
much beyond the time at which adult Cuckoos usually 
retire: but this hypothesis will not remove a single 
difficulty ; for Mr. Wilmot expressly states that during 
* Old Cuckoos depart from the neighbourhood of Manchester 
on the 27th of June, at a mean of fifteen years’ observations, 
G2 
