104 
BIRDS OF LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND. 
to a degree, were a remarkably good imitation of those of a Snake. I found 
an unbroken egg of the Hedge-Sparrow just outside the nest, and saw that the 
foster-mother fed her ugly charge with larvie, chiefly of Sawflies. The identical 
group, including the female Hedge-Sparrow, is now in the JMuseum. Wilson, 
of Aylestone 3Iill, found, in July, 1885, a young Cuckoo in a Reed- Warbler’s 
nest by the side of the river, not twenty-five yards from the Aylestone Road 
tramway. On 6th Aug., 1886, I went to the Borough Asylum to see a young 
Cuckoo which had been reared by Pied Wagtails (J/. lugubris), in an “ airing- 
court ” used many times during the day by the worst class of patients, who 
were constantly passing within four feet of the nest, built in ivy on the wall, 
only a few inches from the ground. About ten yards from the present nest, 
the same or another pair of Wagtails had built their nest in a precisely similar 
position, and had, some short time before, brought off four young. Writing 
to Dr. J. E. IM. Finch, M.A., M.D., by whose courtesy I was enabled to see the 
young Cuckoo, he obligingly furnished me with the following details, at the 
same time writing me : — “ The notes are by one of the patients, but are quite 
reliable.” As this is perhaps the first time that an admitted madman has 
written upon Natural History, I give the narrative in the writer’s own words, 
verbatim et literatim, as a copy for those outside the walls of lunatic 
establishments, who are not in the habit of giving their dates and facts with 
such precision and clearness. 
“ The Cuckoo and the Wagtails. 
I find in my little Journal of the summer before last the following brief 
notes at the accompanying dates. 
1886. 
July ^3, Friday — young cuckoo in wagtail’s nest. 
July 30 cuckoo caged. 
Aug. 4 cuckoo photographed. 
Aug. 21, Saturday — cuckoo died. 
Details may now be supplied from memory to each of these particulars. 
(!)• 
“ Our attention was drawn to the spot where there had already been a nest 
of young wagtails that summer. This was a few inches from the ground in 
a fork of the ivy that covers the southwest wall of our principal court. The 
old birds were again flying in and out, and we expected to find a second brood. 
Instead there was a big bird nearly fledged spreading over as much space as 
the four little wagtails together. One of our shrewdest men in such matters 
at once pronounced it a cuckoo. And we remembered that a large bird which 
he took to be a cuckoo had been seen on the green by one of our attendants 
