THE CUCKOO’S SECRET 
138 
pair, Simmonds and I being close to the nest. To 
our dismay the Cuckoo at 3.18 floated straight for 
us but when within twenty yards suddenly swerved 
away. At 3.20 she flew over the site of No. 5 
nest but made no attempt to settle. So I felt that 
the only hope of getting the Cuckoo to use that 
nest was to remove the hide and leave the ground 
quite open to her ; but it was of no avail. 
At 3.27 the Cuckoo made another attempt at 
No. 6 nest, but Simmonds frightened her away. 
This happened twice more before 3.40, and then 
until 4.7 she sat in the centre orchard and again 
made a flight direct for Simmonds and myself, 
gliding off as she neared us. She repeated this at 
4.9. In the next seven minutes she made three 
further attempts to alight near where we were 
standing. From 4.19 to 4.25 she made five more 
efforts. Between 4.25 and 5.20 the Cuckoo made 
no less than eighteen glides for Simmonds and 
myself, showing thereby the most wonderful 
determination to lay her egg in the nest of No. 6 
pair, which pair had already served as fosterers for 
her first and sixth eggs. 
At about 5.10 a male Cuckoo suddenly put in 
an appearance and joined the female in the centre 
orchard, but she resented any attention from him. 
