OTHER CUCKOOS (1921) 169 
of a reed-grown dyke in the shape of three sides 
of an oblong, and extending for about a mile 
from end to end of the cover. The continuous 
stretch of reeds is broken here and there by tall 
hawthorn and sallows, making, as it were, numbers 
of little reed-beds each distinct from one another. 
Each small reed-bed is occupied by one, and only 
one, pair of Reed Warblers. The Cuckoo uses the 
tall hawthorns and sallows as observation posts. 
This Cuckoo had no less than five breaks in her 
laying period, the first presumably being due to 
lack of fosterers’ nests in suitable condition, but the 
evidence available does not explain the other four. 
To give her performance in detail, she laid her first 
three eggs on May 14, 16, and 18 respectively, 
these being, as might be expected from the early 
date, the only Reed Warblers’ nests available. 
According to Mr. Scholey, she laid her fourth, 
fifth, and sixth eggs on May 24, 26, and 28 respec- 
tively, the first of these again being the only nest 
in suitable condition. The Cuckoo now had her 
second break, of four clear days, and about this 
time many Reed Warblers’ nests were coming 
along. Her seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, 
and twelfth eggs were laid on June 2, 5, 7, 9, 11, 
and 13 respectively. It will be noticed that she 
