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As it is usual to find the Cuckoo's egg associated with those of the Grey Warbler, we may reason- 
ably infer that the visitor simply deposits its egg for incubation without displacing the existing ones. 
But the young Cuckoo is generally found to be the sole tenant of the nest; and the following 
circumstance, related to me by the Rev. R. Taylor, sufficiently proves that the intruder ejects the 
rightful occupants and takes entire possession. He discovered the nest of a Grey Warbler in his 
garden-shrubbery containing several eggs, and among them a larger one, which he correctly assigned 
to the Shining Cuckoo. In due time all the eggs were hatched ; but after the lapse of a day or two 
the young Cuckoo was the sole tenant of the nest, and the dead bodies of the others were found lying 
on the ground below. At length the usurper left the nest, and for many days after both of the 
foster-parents were incessantly on the wing, from morning till night, catering for the inordinate 
appetite of their charge, whose constant piping cry served only to stimulate their activity. 
Since the above was written, I have had an opportunity of examining a young Cuckoo in 
possession, and it exhibits a droll phase of bird-life, the intruder occupying the entire cavity of the 
nest, with its head protruding from the opening. 
I have received from Mr. W. W. Smith, of Oamaru, some interesting notes from his diary * *, 
showing how inevitably the young Warblers, in the struggle for existence, must succumb to the 
more vigorous intruder. 
The egg of the Shining Cuckoo is of a broad ovato-elliptical form, generally of a greenish-white 
or very pale olive colour, often clouded or stained with brownish grey, and measuring ’S of an inch 
in length by - 5 in breadth. One taken by myself, many years ago, from the nest of a Grey Warblei, 
in the manuka scrub, on what is now the site of a flourishing city, was of a pale creamy colour , and 
another, which was laid by a captive bird in my possession, is pure white. A specimen in the Otago 
Museum is broadly elliptical in form, measures 'I of an inch in length by 5 in breadth, and is ot a 
uniform dull olivaceous grey inclining to brown. Of two specimens in my son’s collection one is 
rather more elliptical in form and of a uniform olivaceous brown, somewhat paler at the smaller end ; 
the other (which came from the Chatham Islands) is pale olivaceous grey, perceptibly darker at the 
larger end, and very minutely granulated with brown over the entire surface. 
are the usual foster-parents. Mr. Gould records that, in Australia, the task of incubation is often delegated to the Yellow-tailed 
Acanthiza, and adds, “ I have several times taken the egg of the Cuckoo from the nest of this bird, and also the young, in which 
latter case the parasitical bird was the sole occupant.” Mr. Potts reports (Joum. of Science, ii. p. 477) that at Ohinitahi he 
found an egg of this species in the nest of Zosterops cceruleseens, together with three eggs of the dupe. He enumerates sixteen 
instances, between Oct. 28 and Jan. 6, of its being found in the nest of Gerygone jlaviventris. Generally there were from one 
to three eggs of the dupe in the nest ; in two cases (Dec. 18 and Jan. 6) the Cuckoo egg only ; and in three other cases (Dec. 17, 
Dec. 23, and Jan. 1) the young Cuckoo only. He states further that he has in his possession an egg of this bird taken from the 
nest of Gerygone albofrontata at the Chatham Islands. 
* “ Oct. 7th. Found a nest of Gerygone jlaviventris, with four small eggs and one much larger. The latter I take to he the 
egg of the Shining Cuckoo ( Ghrysococcyx lucidus). Left the nest, intending to return in a few days. 11th. \ isited place again. 
The Grey Warbler flew out when I approached. Five eggs still all right. 21st. Still unhatched. 24th. Two young ones hatched ; 
one egg lying on the ground outside the nest, containing chick quite cold and dead. 25th. Three young ones in nest ; large 
egg unhatched. 26th. Large egg hatched— a chick of the Shining Cuckoo ; very clumsy in nest, lying on top of the three young 
Warblers. 30th. Found one dead chick lying on the ground ; two young Warblers still alive ; young Cuckoo growing rapidly, 
being now nearly large enough to fill the nest itself ; beak and legs fairly well developed. Nov. 2nd. One of tho young Warblers 
lying dead in nest, the other alive. Young Cuckoo has now its eyes open ; signs of feathers on tho neck and wings, but under- 
parts of the body perfectly bare. 5th. Visited nest again. Young Cuckoo thrust out its head to receivo food when I approached. 
Lifted the surviving young Warbler out of the nest, and found it very feeble. 6th. Young Cuckoo lying with its head at 
opening of nest, having taken full possession. Its lifeless companion was lying underneath, having apparently died from 
starvation. 8th. Found young Cuckoo almost ready to leave its cradle. Drought both nest and bird home with me. 10th. 
Thriving well, being fed on small worms, grubs, flies, spiders, and very small pieces of lean meat. 15th. Has now come out 
of nest ; eats largely three times a day, but does not care for meat ; increasing rapidly in size. 20th. Nearly feathered. 
Placed it in a cage, but it looks sickly. 21st. Young Cuckoo died. Proved, on skinning, to be a male bird. 
