146 THE CUCKOO’S SECRET 
The Laying of the Fourteenth Egg , June 1 1 . 
The nest expected to receive the Cuckoos 
fourteenth egg was the fourth of No. 5 pair which 
this morning contained five eggs and had been 
found last night by Simmonds in readiness for 
to-day. We placed Hawkins’ hide within three to 
four yards, as it was difficult to get a good view of 
the nest at any greater distance ; a second hide 
was placed alongside the first and even closer to 
the nest ; a third hide was placed at a distance of 
twelve yards. Such an array of hides right up to 
the nest side perhaps upset the Cuckoo, particularly 
as she had to make a much longer glide than usual 
from tree B to reach the spot. Moreover, a strong 
side wind harassed her to-day, and her glides, 
covering a distance of no yards, took about twelve 
seconds each. 
At 1.45 she made her first glide, but sheered off 
as though frightened by the hides. Four times she 
made attempts, and at the fourth she alighted on 
the ground, and for six minutes remained hopping 
about at least fifteen yards from the nest. Flying 
back to her observation tree, B, she continued to 
make attempts to approach the nest, and on one 
occasion did settle practically beside it, and was 
consequently only some two and a half yards from 
