Robin and Ciiclwn. 
husband niul mysflf was attracted by a continuous anci ui'.- 
usually noisy cryiuL; of nestlini;' birds cmana'iuL; from a hcd^',;' 
bordering our orcliard. As the |)lac(' in the liedt^o wliencf 
tlic noise proccciclcd abutted a.^ainst a lari^c lien-liouse oi the 
orchard side, and overiuuiL; a steep bank, atifording no fool- 
hold \vhale\cr on the otlier side, after one or two perfunctcny 
attempts we gave u]i trying to Hnd t]ie nest. On thej evening 
of tlu' I 5lh a piercing bird-cry came from the top of a pear 
tree immediately oiUside our silting-room window, a cr\' which 
for ^li riMness and discord e-oidd only be ec|iialled by that not 
infrequently emitted by the village schoolboy when armed with 
that horrible instrument of torture. th<^ slate and s'ate pencil. 
The cry was persisted in for so long that eventually we went 
out, curious to learn what kind of animal could have the 
efirontcry to indulge in it. After much searching, for the 
light was growing dim. we saw. perched \\\) amid the fruit 
and foliage, what appeared to be a young ILiwk. It fiew 
away on discovering that we were watching it and returned 
no more that evening. But next morning soon after the hour 
of four the horrible noise recommenced and continued without 
appreciable break until breakfast-time, reminding us for all 
the world of the Cicadas at the Cape. After breakfast wc 
again went out to obtain, if possible, a closer view of our 
unmusical visitor. A wood-shed stands close to the pear-tree 
and there, on the roof, stood the young bird in the very act of 
being fed by a Robin, and clearly labelled as a young Cuckoo. 
It stayec. on the roof of the shed for most of the day crying", 
crying incessantly' for food, whilst the harassed little foster- 
mother sought far and near for the wherewithal to satisfy it. 
As soor as the Robin came in sight the Cuckoo crouched for- 
ward, opened its cavernous mouth to its widest extent, thereby 
disclosing a lurid scarlet throat, and flapped its wings in a 
mos: extraordinary manner. The Robin never by any chance 
flew straight to its monster bab\'. but, having flitted in an 
apparently aimless fashion amongst the surrounding fruit-trees 
for a little while, would make a lightning-like dart towards 
the Cuckoo on the roof. So much did the baby preponder- 
ate in size over its foster-mother that the former had to 
crouch lower and yet lower, whilst the diminutive Redbreast, 
