17 Arlington gt . , 



N. Cambridge, 

 July II 1892. Mass.. 



Mr, Brewster, 



Dear Sir:- 



May I trouble you with a ques- 



tion or two? 



Some robins built a nest near us; one day we heard a 

 violent bird-fight going on near the nest of young 

 robins. A black-billed cuckoo fell dead as our son 

 reached the tree— killed by the ro bins. 

 I thought I would write up the little tragedy, and in 

 preparing todoso have become interested in some 

 evolution questions. 



can you tell me or tell me where I can get inform- 

 ation on the following points? 



1. Isthe nest-building habit of the American cuckoo 

 a survival or a more recently acquired habit? 



2. DO none of the European or foreign cuckoos ever 

 build nests? Iknow in general they do not. 



3. Qo the foreign cuckoos eat the eggs and youmg of 

 other birds? An old Scotch verse would imply they do 



the former. 



«I eat little birds eggs to make my voice clear%. 



I am sincerely. 



Fanny D. Bergen 

 per B. 



