198 
THE CUCKOO’S SECRET 
as H. S. Davenport, stoutly maintain that she 
carries her egg in her throat, but no unimpeachable 
evidence has been adduced in support of so impro- 
bable a theory. We now have indisputable evidence 
that many Cuckoos carry away in their bill the 
foster bird’s egg which they have robbed ; why 
then, when unable to sit on a nest to lay, should a 
Cuckoo elect to swallow her own egg instead of 
carrying it also in her bill ? 
Although it may be said that my opinion is 
biassed because I have seen Cuckoos lay in Meadow 
Pipits’ nests, yet I shall not be at all surprised if it 
is proved before long that it is customary for 
Cuckoos to lay in the nests of most species of 
fosterers, whether ground-builders or not. There 
is no particular reason to assume that the habit is 
confined to Meadow Pipit Cuckoos. 
With my deep interest in Cuckoos, it goes 
without saying that I have studied innumerable 
recorded observations and read everything on 
the subject that I have been able to secure, to say 
nothing of countless discussions and comparisons 
of notes. Speaking generally, I have found that 
many so-called observations are capable of more 
than one interpretation, and it must be remembered 
that up till now observers have witnessed Cuckoo 
