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time with itself. And as the means it makes 
Use of for that purpose are so astonishing, 
we will give the account in his own words. 
"On the 18th ,of j une, 1787, 1 examined the 
nest of a hedge sparrow, which then con- 
tained a Cuckow's and three hedge spar- 
row's eggs. On inspecting it the day 
following, the bird had hatched; but the 
tiest then contained only a young Cuckow 
and one hedge-sparrow. The nest was 
placed so near the extremity of the hedge, 
that I could distinctly see what was going 
forward in it; and, to my great astonish- 
ment, saw the young Cuckow, though so 
lately hatched, in the act of turning out 
the young hedge sparrow. The mode of 
accomplishing this was curious; the little 
animal with the assistance of its rump and 
wings, contrived to get the bird upon its 
back, and making a lodgment for its bur- 
then, by elevating its elbows, climbed 
backwards with it up the side of the nest, 
till it reached the top; where, resting for 
a moment, it threw off its load with a 
jerk, and quite disengaged it from the 
nest. Aftpr remaining a short time in 
N 
