26 
THE CUCKOO’S SECRET 
year and in no others, bore a small black crescent 
on the larger end. 
On May 31 I took A 6 in a Meadow Pipit’s nest 
in short grass. This nest was first found on the 
29th when it contained three eggs. On the 30th 
at 10.30 a.m. it held four eggs. I then removed 
one and on returning on the evening of the 31st 
there were three eggs plus A 6 . 
On June 3 A 7 was found alone in a Meadow 
Pipit’s nest. This I exchanged for the egg of a 
Skylark to which the Pipit laid four. On the 8th 
I took A 8 from a Meadow Pipit’s nest with one egg. 
I substituted for these a Skylark’s and another 
Pipit’s egg, and the fosterer in due course laid three 
more eggs. 
Being most anxious to see the Cuckoo deposit 
her egg, accompanied by Simmonds I slept — or 
rather stayed— -out on the common on the night of 
June 11, hoping that by being on the spot from 
dawn onwards I should be favoured by Fortune 
and witness the performance. It was, however, not 
to be. But at 6 a.m. on the 12th we found A 9 in a 
Meadow Pipit’s nest with four eggs in a tuft of grass. 
The eggs were about eight days incubated and the 
nest was the “ repeat ” one of that from which I took 
A 2 on May 22. At 11 a.m. I took A 10 quite fresh 
