THE CUCKOO’S SECRET 
96 
particularly guarded the nesting sites of Nos. 1 
and 5 pairs of Meadow Pipits, the only ones pos- 
sible for a victimisation to-day. (No. 1 pair was 
subsequently found to have ceased nest-building 
for the season.) 
At 2.10 p.m. the Cuckoo came from the north- 
east to the centre orchard. Here she sat in her 
favourite perch in the tall pear tree near B for 
fifteen minutes. Then she flew back across the 
common and took up the position in cherry tree K, 
which she would use for the deposition of an egg 
in nest 5 s to which she had floated on the 24th. 
This nest then had one egg, but although it con- 
tained, as it should have done, two eggs yesterday, 
there were still only two to-day. It appeared as 
if the Pipits had deserted, very likely through 
becoming tired of the Cuckoo’s attentions. The 
nest looked deserted. 
At 2.40 a cyclist crossed the common, stopping 
for a few minutes not far from nest 5 5 to attend to 
tyre trouble. No sooner had he passed on than 
the Cuckoo, escorted by the male Pipit, floated right 
down to the nest where the female Pipit appeared 
to await her. Rising almost immediately she flew 
through the centre orchard and on towards the 
forest. Upon going to the nest we found only the 
