150 THE CUCKOO'S SECRET 
Now it will be seen that the Cuckoo laid her 
fifteen eggs this year in three runs of five each, 
breaking her sequence on May 22 and June 3. It 
is also interesting to note that the runs of five eggs 
correspond with the number of pairs of Meadow 
Pipits on the common. Doubtless several of the 
laying times would have been a little earlier than 
they were had we not disturbed the Cuckoo by the 
placing of hides near her selected nests. 
As I had expected, the Cuckoo ceased to lay 
after we had cut off the supply of her natural 
fosterers, which we did by allowing certain of the 
pairs to hatch off substituted eggs of other Meadow 
Pipits brought from a distance. Personally I am 
of the opinion that she would have laid more eggs 
had we continued to restart the Meadow Pipits 
building ; in fact, by assisting the Cuckoo in 1920 to 
break the record as I had desired, and by discouraging 
her from laying more than fifteen eggs this year, as 
I also intended, I contend that I have provided 
strong evidence in support of my contention that 
the number of eggs a dominant Cuckoo will lay 
is in a large measure dependent upon the regular 
supply or otherwise of nests of her natural fosterer.* 
After June 13 the female Cuckoo was not heard to 
* See Chap. Xlf. 
