i6 
THE CUCKOO’S SECRET 
deserted, thus making 4+ A 1 . Within an hour I 
found a second Meadow Pipit’s nest containing 
two eggs and another of the same Cuckoo, A 2 . 
All the eggs in both these nests were fresh. 
Gratified with the result of my first hunt, I 
eagerly pursued the search on the following evening, 
June 4, when I discovered the nest of a Skylark* 
with 2+A 3 , fresh. I was pleased to see that this 
Cuckoo A was laying an egg of a very distinctive 
type, so much so in fact that I have yet to see others 
with which it could be confused. It was clear that 
these three eggs of Cuckoo A must have been, 
since they lacked signs of incubation, laid within a 
very few days of each other. 
The following week-end I spent some time 
searching the ground, but drew a blank, and it was 
not until June 15 that I found a Meadow Pipit’s 
nest with 2+A 4 , these eggs also being fresh. The 
approximate position of this nest was betrayed by 
the behaviour of the male Pipit ; and, beating over 
the likely herbage, I soon succeeded in flushing the 
female. One of the Pipit’s eggs was pierced with 
two holes on opposite sides of the shell, and I am 
of the opinion that they were made by the Cuckoo 
when laying in the nest. 
* Alauda arvensis , L. 
