222 
Mr. Jenner’s Obfervatiom on the 
care. The young birds are not previoufly killed, nor are the 
eggs demolifhed ; but all are left to perifh together, either en- 
tangled about the bufh which contains the neff, or lying on 
the ground under it. 
The early fate of the young Hedge-fparrows is a circum- 
ftance that has been noticed by others, but attributed to wrong 
caufes. A variety of conjectures have been formed upon it. 
Some have luppofed the parent Cuckoo the author of their de- 
ftruCtion ; while others, as erroneoufiy, have pronounced them 
fmothered by the difproportionate fize of their fellow-neftling. 
Now the Cuckoo’s egg being not much larger than the Hedge- 
fparrow’s (as I fhall more fully point out hereafter) it neceffa- 
rily follows, that at firft there can be no great difference in 
the fize of the birds juft burft from the fhell. Of the fallacy 
of the former affertion alfo I was fome years ago convinced, by 
having found that many Cuckoo’s eggs were hatched in the 
nefts of other birds after the old Cuckoo had difappeared ; and 
by feeing the fame fate then attend the nettling fparrows as 
during the appearance of old Cuckoos in this country. But, 
before I proceed to the faCts relating to the death of the young 
Sparrows, it will be proper to lay before you fome examples of 
the incubation of the egg, and the rearing of the young 
Cuckoo ; fince even, the well known fa£t, that this bufinefs is 
intruded to the care of other birds, has been controverted by 
an Author who has lately written on this fubject * ; and fince, 
as it is a faCt fo much out of the ordinary courfe of nature, it 
may flill probably be difbelieved by others. 
* The Hon. Daines Barrington. 
EXAMPLE 
