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fact that I had once shot an adult female in which the underparts were quite denuded of feathers, as 
it the bird had been long incubating. Strange as such an hypothesis may appear, we are not 
altogether without a parallel instance in bird-history ; for in the case of the Chrysococcyx smaragdineus 
of Western Africa, it is alleged that this Cuckoo hatches its single egg and then, utterly unmindful 
of its parental obligations, casts the care of its otfspring on a charitable public ; and that almost every 
passing bird, attracted by the piping cry of the deserted bantling, drops a caterpillar or other sweet 
morsel into its imploring throat ! My artist, Mr. Keulemans, assures me that he often witnessed this 
himself during his residence on Prince’s Island. As entirely opposed to this theory, however, there 
is one undoubted case of an egg of this Cuckoo being hatched out by a Wood-Eobin ( Miro albifrons) 
in whose nest it had been deposited. The young Cuckoo was removed by the finder and soon afterwards 
died * *. The question arises, If it had been allowed to leave the nest, would the Eobin have reared it, 
or would she have delegated this task to the Grey Warbler? 
An egg forwarded to me some years ago by the Eev. E. Taylor, of Wanganui, as belonging to 
this species, is almost spherical in shape, with a slightly rough or granulate surface ; it is of a pale 
buff or yellowish-brown colour, and measures T25 inch in length by 1T5 in breadth. A specimen 
in the Canterbury Museum, taken by Mr. Smith from a Warbler’s nest at Oarnaru, in November 
1885, corresponds exactly with mine (which is now in the Colonial Museum at Wellington) except 
that it is slightly narrower. 
perpendicular. The upper portion of the nest somewhat overhangs the aperture, forming a sort of hood. The nest is composed 
of twigs, grass, cow-hair, and greenish spider-nests, with a white coral-like moss scattered over the outside. The eggs are ten 
sixteenths of an inch in length by soven sixteenths of an inch greatest diameter, ovoid, of a faint pinkish colour, with small 
brown spots, more numerous at tlio larger end of the egg.” The learned author continues : — “ How the Long-tailed Cuckoo 
( Eudynamis taitensis ) can, as stated by Dr. Buller (‘Birds of New Zealand,’ p. 75), deposit its eggs in such a nest I can scarcely 
understand. On the 22nd instant (October) one of my children discovered, under a largo Cupressus macrocarpa in my garden, 
a specimen of the Eudynamis taitensis, recently killed, apparently by a Hawk. It would have been impossible for the Eudynamis 
to have entered the opening in the nest of the Gerygone.” (Trans. N.-Z. Inst. vol. vii. p. 524.) 
On referring to the page of my first edition as cited above, it will be seen that, so far from making the supposed statement, I 
then expressed, as I now repeat, a very decided opinion to the contrary. 
* Mr. W. W. Smith sends me the following particulars of this case : — 
“ Oct. 29th. Found Wood-Robin’s nest with two eggs. Oct. 31. Visited Robin’s nest ; four eggs. Nov. 3. Agreeably 
surprised to find egg of Eudynamis taitensis placed among the rest ; for this is the first time I have seen its egg in the nest of 
this species. It was almost round in shape, with a deeper shade of colour than the specimen in the Canterbury Museum. 
Nov. 7. Found Robin sitting, and did not disturb her. Nov. 10. Made bird fly off, in order to examine the eggs, which I 
found to be all right. She was very tame, and came close to my face whilst I was looking at the eggs. Nov. 15. Again 
found bird on the nest, and left her undisturbed. Nov. 24. Visited nest again, and found all the eggs hatched ; young Cuckoo 
of enormous size compared to .its mates ; must have been hatched out later than the others, as one of the young Robins was 
dead. I took the former in my hand, and found it to be a very helpless creature, with the skin almost entirely naked and 
the eyes closed. Nov. 28. Found young Cuckoo thriving well, being kept constantly supplied with food by the Robin, whose 
own surviving offspring, three in number, appear likewise to be doing well. Dec. 2. Young Cuckoo growing rapidly. It will 
soon be too largo for the nest, and already has to lie on the top of the young Robins. Dec. 0. Cuckoo still in nest, and now 
covered with thick blackish downy feathers. It seems very robust ; and I observed it raise its body over the edge of the nest 
in order to void its excrement. Dec. 8. Young Cuckoo has grown so much that it quite fills the cavity of the nest. The young 
Robins appear instinctively to remain at the bottom for self-preservation ; for if the Cuckoo could displace them, he could 
occupy the whole of the cavity of the nest. Dec. 9. Removed two of the young Robins, in order to make room for the 
increasing size of the Cuckoo. Dec. 10. Young Cuckoo and remaining Robin doing well, the latter being nearly ready to fly. 
Dec. 11. Placed the nest, with both occupants, inside a box with wire-netting in front — the mesh being large enough to admit 
the head of the parent — and left it there. Dec. 15. Found young birds quite active, having been fed by the old ones through 
the netting. Liberated the Robin and brought the Cuckoo home. It is now in fine plumage, spotted with white or greyish white 
on a brown ground. Dec. 17. Cuckoo doing well and eats freely. Moves about the box in a clumsy way, and utters a peevish 
chirp, usually after being fed. Legs well developed, but apparently weak ; eyes very bright. Dec. 22. Young Cuckoo died last 
night, much to my regret, as I was anxious to make it live through the winter.” 
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