134 
THE CUCKOO’S SECRET 
and again alighted, but obviously dissatisfied she 
passed on to the oak tree E in the forest. The 
nest was situated about ioo yards from tree C, 
and 130 yards from tree E. From this time 
onwards her attitude showed timidity, for she 
made no less than eight attempts to approach the 
nest and each time was less accurate in her point 
of alighting. 
At 3.20 she seemed to abandon the idea of 
laying in nest 9 s and settled in the cherry tree B in 
the centre orchard, from which she quickly made 
a floating glide to the third nest of No. 7 pair, 
remaining there a few moments. I went up to the 
nest and found one of the Pipit’s eggs missing, but 
I was not surprised for, after her return to the 
orchard, I saw the Cuckoo settle low in tree A 
and peck at something. 
Thereafter she began to make attacks on the 
nest of No. 5 pair, but the hide, which we had 
moved up to within 10 yards of it after she had 
shown me the nest at 1 p.m., apparently upset her 
bearings. At any rate she could not find the nest, 
but floated about and settled aimlessly, looking in 
vain for her quarry. Despite our attempts to 
drive her back to the centre orchard to encourage 
her to go to the nest of No. 7 pair, it was some time 
