[ ^54 ] 



cuekow's egg is not only much larger, but is of a dirty yellow 

 Ipotted with black, whereas her own are of a fine pale blue. 



Again, all other neiliings, whilft callow, want to be covered 

 by the plumage of the. dam ; but how can this gigantic orphan 

 receive fuch warmth from a he.dge-fp arrow ? 



The time, moreover, of the egg being hatched, is commonly 

 in proportion to its iize, the hedge-fparrow therefore would pro- 

 bably adandon it, fuppofmg it to be addled. I muft alfo alk what 

 is to become of the hen cuckow during the time that the hedge- 

 i'parrow is performing its parental functions ; is flie employed 

 from day to day in dropping her (ingle egg into otber ncfls, in 

 which circumilance iikewife me differs from almoft every other 

 bird, as I do not recollect, an inftance of lels than two, and the 

 greater part lay rive ? 



It will undoubtedly be urged, however, that all reafons from 

 analogy are of little weight again ft pofitive facts, to which I moft 

 readily ailent ; but though I have made many inquiries about this 

 extraordinary notion, I never could hear evidence of any other cir- 

 cumftance to fapport it, except that the young cuckow had been 

 fed by a fmall bird ; which I hope to have fliewn is by no means 

 fufficient to prove that it was alfo hatched by the hedge-fpar- 

 row. Of this latter circumltance nothing lefs than the hedger 

 fparrow's eggs being removed by the cuckow, her own lingle egg 

 fubftituted in the place, and afterwards hatched, will convince 

 me, as the proof of what contradicts the general laws of nature 

 muft be proportionally ftrong. 



On the contrary, I have received feveral well-attefted inftances 

 of cuckows hatching and feeding their own neftlings, which I fhall 

 here ftate. 



I have been favoured by that eminent naturalift Mr. Pennant 

 with the following, from a MS diflertation of Dr. Derham's : 



" The 



