Cuckoos laying in the Nests of other Birds. — As far as my 
knowledge extends, there are only four instances known, in which the 
eggs of Coccygus americanus have been found in other bird’s nests, 
namely, the two given by Nultall, in nests of Catbird and one by Langdon 
in Robin’s, and that mentioned by Ridgway in Coccygus erythrophthalmus. 
I was not a little astonished to find last Saturday, June 4, 1881, an egg of 
the Yellow-billed Cuckoo in a Catbird’s nest, and near by another one in 
the nest of a Black-billed Cuckoo. The Catbird’s nest contained only 
one egg of its rightful owner; another Catbird’s egg was found broken on 
the ground. The Cuckoo’s egg was fresh, but the Catbird’s egg was in- 
cubated. The nest of the Black-billed Cuckoo contained besideTthe para- 
sitic egg, which was fresh, two eggs, both incubated, but one much more 
than the other, the embryo being fully developed. The parent bird (Coc- 
cygus erythrophthalmus) was sitting, but left when the tree was ascended 
and stationed itself on a near tree to watch our movements. 
The circumstances attending the discovery of these two eggs make me 
think that such cases of parasitic Cuckoo’s eggs might not be so very ex- 
ceptional and still evade the watchful eye of the collecting oologi'st or 
of the observing ornithologist. I went out to look for nests of Empid- 
onax acadicus. I took my nephew, a lad of fifteen, with me to assist in 
taking down nests from trees. In passing a thicket by the wayside, he 
looked in and immediately called out, “a big nest, blue eggs.” Judging 
from the surroundings, I replied without taking the trouble to look at the 
thing, “ a Catbird’s nest; let it alone.” We passed on and after a little 
while a Catbird crossed our way. He saw the bird and I told him that this 
was the Catbird whose nest he had just found. He wondered that a bird 
of this size lays such large eggs. Inquiring how large the egg was, he 
showed the size with thumb and index. I smiled and said it was not ’ex- 
actly that big, but he insisted, and I concluded to walk back and look at 
the eggs, when the discovery was made. Who cares to look into each of 
the dozen of Catbird’s nests we find in the course of a season? We are 
satisfied to know that this is the nest of the Robin, the Wood-thrush, the 
Catbird ; but we do not think of taking the trouble to look every time at 
their eggs or young. 
# 
Still more likely to elude discovery would the strange egg be in the other 
Cookoo’s nest. In this neighborhood at least are the Cuckoo’s nests gen- 
erally amidst such a terribly entangled mass of wild vine that we do not 
care to go up for mere pleasure. I do not know how regular egg-collec- 
tors go to work ; other ornithologists may operate differently. My case 
may be no measure. I give it only to draw attention to the matter, and I 
have made up my mind to despise no more Catbirds’s nests in future.— 
O. Widman, St. Louts , Mo. 
[Mr. Widman has overlooked a note which appeared in an early num- 
ber of this Bulletin (Vol. II, p. no), where three instances of the lay- 
ing of our Cuckoos in other bird’s nests are given. Years ago when I 
used to take many Cuckoo’s nests each season in the apple orchards about 
Cambridge it was no uncommon thing to find an egg of the Black-billed 
species in a clutch of the Yellow-bills, and on more than one occasion, 
but less often, the situation would be reversed. An instance of the lat- 
ter kind came under my notice in 1878, when at Belmont, Mass., I found 
a nest of the Black-billed Cuckoo which contained, besides two eggs 
of the rightful proprietor, a single one of the Yellow-bill. Speaking 
from memory, and without consulting my notes On the subject, I should 
say that at least ten per cent of the Cuckoo’s nests that I have found 
contained eggs of both species. But in no case have I ever seen the eg'gs 
of either kind in the nests of other birds. — William Brewster.] 
Bali, N. O.C. 7 , Jan, 1882, p. 5 % - 6 ' 7 . 
Auk,vil“jkn°^0:i. O 3>T US , americanus ' Yellow-billed Cuckoo. — Tolerably 
common. Familiarly known throughout the region as the ‘Rain Crow.' 
1218. The Rain Crow and Log Cock. By Col. G. D. Alexander. Ibid., 
No. 11, Sept. 12, pp. 246-7.— On the habits of the Cuckoo and Pileated 
Woodpecker. American Fiel& XXIV 
442. Cuckoos. [Bv J. N. Clark?] Ibid., p. 189. — Eggs of the Yellow- 
billed and Black-billed Cuckoos found in the same nest. Q,SsQ. VW.V1I 
Yellow-billed Cuckoo’s Egg in a Robin’s Nest. — On July 2, 1902, while 
examining various nests in a lot back of my house in Granby, Conn., as 
was my almost daily habit, I found in a Robin’s nest with two eggs, an 
egg of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo ( Coccyzus americanus). The nest proved 
to be deserted, although early on the 1st of July, when the Robin’s eggs 
were the sole contents, both birds were about. There is no mistaking the 
egg; light greenish blue, 1.31 X .93, elliptical. — Stanley W. Edwards, 
Granby, Conn. Aui, XX, Jan., 1903, p. 65 , 
