Hi 
THE CUCKOO’S SECRET 
this and many subsequent occasions she either 
sheered off suddenly or else flew away quickly after 
alighting. It appeared as though she were 
frightened by the lens of the camera, which was 
perhaps more obvious than usual owing to the rays 
of the sun shining almost directly on it ; but months 
later, by closely watching the film, we learned that 
it was the female Pipit buzzing out from the nest 
on the approach of the Cuckoo that was the cause 
of her fright. Before 3.32 she made two more 
attempts, and continued to glide, sometimes alight- 
ing, and once actually remained on the ground for 
the best part of a minute. This visit to the site of 
the nest is included in the film, which shows the 
Cuckoo hopping about and being violently attacked 
by a Meadow Pipit. Just as the Cuckoo approaches 
the nest, the female Pipit is seen to fly out from the 
nest with such alarming suddenness as to frighten 
away the Cuckoo for a time. After about a dozen 
attempts in all she finally glided down, at 3.50 p.m., 
from the usual oak (E) in the forest, a distance of 
no yards, and, remaining on the ground for 31^ 
seconds, with both Pipits on this occasion in attend- 
ance, laid her egg, the whole process being filmed by 
Hawkins at a distance of about eight yards, using 
his special lens. ( See photographs, pp. 144, 145.) 
