Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 5 (1901).djvu/179

Rh the Long-eared Owl will often make use of one of these nests, and rear its young in the midst of the chattering colony. A still more remarkable divergence from the usual nesting habits of Corvus monedula can be seen in a heronry not far from St. Andrews. In this case the Jackdaws, by fair means or foul, have taken possession of many of the Herons' nests, which are built near the top of some very tall larches. When I last visited the place the Herons had, most of them, disappeared—partly owing to many of the nesting trees having been blown down, and partly, I suppose, to the unwarrantable invasion of their quarters by the Jackdaws. I am aware that Jackdaws do occasionally use the lower part of a large Rook's (or even Heron's) nest as a breeding-site, but I have never heard of another instance of actual appropriation such as I have just given.— (Kinloch House, St. Andrews, N.B.).

The Early Life of the Young Cuckoo.—The early stages in the lifehistory of the young Cuckoo are, as is well known, very interesting, and I hope the following authentic particulars may be found of interest and service:—The egg was found in a Hedge-Sparrow's nest at Potton End, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, on May 17th, 1900. The nest was placed at the bottom of a large disused gravel-pit, overgrown with furze, broom, and brambles, and was about eighteen inches from the ground. It contained three eggs of the Hedge-Sparrow and one of the Cuckoo. On May 29th the Cuckoo and two of the foster-parent's eggs were found to be hatched, and the young Cuckoo was observed to be asserting himself conspicuously even at such an early age. Only two days had elapsed (May 31st) before the young Cuckoo started, and finished, the shovelling-out process. One egg and one young Hedge-Sparrow had just been toppled out of the nest by the Cuckoo with the aid of its hollow back, which is so well suited for this purpose. The remaining young one could not be found high or low, and one wonders whether the voracious young culprit devoured it, or whether the foster-parents carried it away from the nest? The nest was next visited on June 11th, when the Cuckoo was about fourteen days old. It had made great progress since the last day of May, and the small nest of the bird under whose care it had been placed was quite insufficient to hold it comfortably. Three days after our last visit (June 14th) we found the Cuckoo out of the nest and screeching, when it was about seventeen days old. We thus arrive at the following interesting information:—

May 17th.—Nest found containing Cuckoo's egg and three Hedge-Sparrow's eggs.

May 29th.—Cuckoo's and two of the Hedge-Sparrow's eggs hatched.

May 31st.—Cuckoo ejected the other occupants of nest. One young Hedge-Sparrow missing altogether.