128 
THE CUCKOO’S SECRET 
location of which was not, of course, in this instance 
forecasted. 
The Laying of the Sixth Egg , May 24. 
We had expected the Cuckoo to lay this egg on 
the 22nd, although we were then still unaware of 
an available nest. Yet subsequent events showed 
that there was one, the third of No. 6 pair of 
Meadow Pipits, which then contained two eggs. 
There were, moreover, at least two Tree Pipits’ 
nests in suitable condition of which she did not 
make use. For that matter it is probable that no 
Cuckoo will lay in nests other than those of her 
natural fosterers unless under certain conditions, 
which are discussed in Chapter XI. 
Our party to-day consisted of O. R. Owen, 
Hawkins, P. B. Smyth, the two Simmondses, Mr. 
and Mrs. C. E. Baker, Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Roper, 
Miss E. L. Turner, and myself. We thought at first 
that the Cuckoo might use the third nest of No. 7 
pair, which now had two eggs. Although we did 
not feel confident, we placed in position hides for 
Miss Turner and Hawkins. But at 1.45 I saw a 
Pipit, with a green grub in its beak, fly from No. 6 
territory up into the Cuckoo’s observation tree (H 1 ). 
This reminded me of the attitude of the same pair 
