236 Mr, Jenner’s Obfervations on the 
mattes of hair ; but tbefe had evidently once formed a part of 
the hairy Caterpillar, which the Cuckoo often takes for its 
food. 
There feems to be no precife time fixed for the departure of 
young Cuckoos. I believe they go off in fueceflion, probably 
as foon as they are capable of taking care of themfelves ; for 
although they ftay here till they become nearly equal in fize 
and growth of plumage to the old -Cuckoo, yet in this very 
{bate the foftering care of the Hedge-fparrow is not with- 
drawn from them. I have frequently feen the young Cuckoo 
of fucli a fize that the Hedge-fparrow has perched on its back, 
or half-expanded wing, in order to gain fufficient elevation to 
put the food into its mouth. At this advanced ft age, I believe 
that young Cuckoos procure fome food for themfelves ; like 
the young rook, for inftance, which in part feeds itfelf, and is 
partly fed by the old ones till the approach of the pairing fea- 
fon. If they did not go off in fueceflion, it is probable we 
fhould fee them in large numbers by the middle of Auguftj 
for as they are to be found in great plenty *, when in a nettling 
ftate, they muft now appear very numerous, fince all of them 
mull have quitted the nett before this time. But this is not 
the cafe ; for they are not more numerous at any feafon tham 
the parent birds are in the months of May and June.. 
The fame inftin&ive impulfe which dire&s the Cuckoo to» 
depofit her eggs in the nefts of other birds, diredts her young 
one to throw out the egg 3 and young of the owner of the nett. 
The fcheme of nature would be incomplete without it; for it 
would be extremely difficult, if not impoftible, for the little* 
birds, dettined to find fuccour for the Cuckoo, to find it alfo 
* I have known four young Cuckoos in the nefts of Hedge-fparrows in a 
fmall paddock at the fame time. 
for 
