72 
THK CONDOR 
Vol. XIII 
The female frequently begins depositing eggs before the nest is finished, and 
may be seen carrying twigs to it, after the full complement of eggs has been laid. 
I have not ascertained the exact period of incubation for the Cuckoo but it must 
be very short. I know of one case where tlie nest was built, three eggs laid, and 
incubation about one-fourth, all in a week; this must be admitted to be rapid work. 
The bird is a close sitter often allowing one to touch her before she will leave the 
nest. She will then leave as if she was crippled, and flutter along the ground for a 
short distance, ver}" much like a dove. 
The note in tlie breedingseason is a quickly uttered “kuk-kuk-kuk”, and is gen- 
erally given at some little distance from the nest. The birds when in close prox- 
imity to the nest are usually silent. If the eggs are taken or destroyed, a second 
and even a third set will be laid within a very few days. The young when first 
hatched are naked and look as though they were made of India rubber. They 
grow very quickly, and I believe if undisturbed two broods are reared in a season. 
On July 10, 1910, Mr. J. Eugene 
Law, Mr. G. Willett, my brother 
and myself, in Mr. Law’s auto 
started out to locate some new 
breeding grounds of the Cuckoo. 
We proceeded on the east side of 
the Los Angeles River until we 
had gone about sixteen miles 
south of the city, when we came 
to sev'eral small willow groves, 
which we started to search. It 
was not long before we heard the 
call of a Cuckoo, and Mr. Law 
soon discovered the nest, which 
was placed in the top of a slender 
willow about twelve feet from the 
ground, and contained three 
young. The rest of the groves 
were not very promising so we 
boarded the auto and made for 
the old grove, which we reached 
in a short time. 
We had not been there long before I heard Cuckoos calling in several directions. 
We made for the nearest call, and after a thorough search I located a nest placed 
in the top of a small willow fourteen feet from the ground. This contained four 
slightly incubated eggs. I tried to take a photo but it was impossible, so I cut the 
tree and lowered it about half way down to a better position and took several 
pictures. I then searched in the direction where another bird was heard calling 
and in a short time found another nest. This was built in a willow bush about five 
feet from the ground and contained three badly incubated eggs. The bird was 
verj^ tame and allowed me to touch her, but when I broke some small limbs which 
were in the way for the taking of a photo she flew' away and did not return, so I 
was obliged to give up the picture. 
I again visited the grove with Mr. Willett on July 24, and about forty feet 
from w'here I had found the first nest another w'as found resembling the first both 
in situation and construction. I took tw'o photos of this, and we then made 
our wav toward nest number tw'O. Mr. Willett discovered this nest in a wullow 
Fig. ,32. YOUNG OF CALIFORNI.\ CUCKOO, AUGUST 14,1910 
