THIRD SEASON (1920): RECORD 71 
where she will place her eggs. Consequently at 
3.45 I was more than delighted to see the female 
Cuckoo float across the common, dip down 
momentarily to the site of the nest, and fly on to a 
wild cherry tree (B) in the centre orchard. Almost 
immediately she launched herself out of the tree, 
gliding down in aeroplane fashion to settle beside 
the nest. All this while, young Simmonds had 
been lying only seventy yards away from the nest 
on one side, with C. F. Bristol but forty-five yards 
distant on the other. Thus the Cuckoo had 
floated down between them as they lay absolutely 
unconcealed on the open common. 
As soon as I saw her alight and remain on the 
ground I came across under cover of a ridge, 
crept up alongside C. F. Bristol and lay on the 
ground waiting until 3.55, when the Cuckoo 
leisurely flew up into a cherry tree (H) and after 
preening herself for a few minutes, flew off to join 
the other Cuckoos, uttering her familiar “ bubbling ” 
note (which, by the way, is very frequently given 
immediately after the act of laying). When she 
rose from the nest she clearly had no egg in her 
beak, and as one was missing it is fair to conclude 
that she ate it at the nest. The Meadow Pipits 
were not seen at the nest to-day except to hover 
