374 MR. J. FT. GURNEY ON THE ECONOMY' OF THE CUCKOO. 
which were Robins, and the rest either Hedge Sparrows or Thrushes, 
or some bluish eggs.” 
Mr. P. N. Emerson in writing of the birds of our Norfolk Broads, 
tells his readers that he has opened Cuckoos, and found in their 
crops what appeared to be yelk of egg, which is so unmistakable, 
that one does not see what else there could have been to mislead 
him. I must confess myself a believer in occasional egg-eating 
Cuckoos, in spite of the stout denial it has received in high quarters ; 
in confinement they have been even found to eat young birds 
(Zool. 1896, p. 357). Another strong case of egg-eating where the 
embryo was nearly ready to be hatched, being perfect in all its 
parts, is made out in ‘Land and Water’ of May 30th, 1874, and 
further evidence is collected in Booth’s ‘Rough Notes’ (vol. i. 
article “ Cuckoo ”), and by Mr.’ Sachse. 
Removing Nestlings. 
On the 20th of May, 1897, my son and I were in the pursuit of 
Swallow-tailed Butterflies on Sutton Broad, when three Cuckoos 
passed me, one behind the other, probably a hen and two cocks. 
After flying over a small Bog Myrtle or Sweet Gale bush, not more 
than two feet high and six feet long, standing by itself on the fen, 
they betook themselves to an adjoining field. In three or four 
minutes my suspicion was aroused by one Cuckoo returning, which, 
not heeding me, entered the bush where it remained, but though 
drawing near very cautiously, I could not see it there, small as it 
was. When at length the Cuckoo had gone, a minute search 
revealed nothing, and we were just going away when some ten feet 
from the bush the marshman nearly trod on a new Yellow Wagtail's 
nest in the grass. It Yvas empty, but scattered around were five 
young Wagtails, quite a week old, the farthest one six feet off, the 
others nearer, no doubt dropped where we now saw them by the 
Cuckoos. I can only come to the conclusion, that this was a 
Cuckoo which had a predilection for Yellow Wagtail’s nests,'"' and 
as nothing else would suit it, its motive in this instance was by 
removing the young Wagtails, to incite their bereaved parents to 
quickly build a new nest, and again lay eggs beside which the crafty 
Cuckoo might deposit her own. It may be when my binoculars 
were on the bush was just the time that the Cuckoo happened to 
* Mr. Bird found a Cuckoo’s egg in a Yellow Wagtail’s nest near Sutton, 
May 23rd, 1890. 
