Abstract
A FEW days ago while examining a reed bed in the fens of Lincolnshire, near Wainfleet, I found a Reed Warbler's nest, in which was deposited a Cuckoo's egg. Front the shape of the nest, which was very narrow and deep, and from the position of the nest, which was built on slender reeds, on the outer edge of the bed, it was utterly impossible that the egg could have been laid, as, in the first place, the nest was far too small for so large a bird as the cuckoo to sit in; and in the second, the weight of the bird would have inevitably swamped the nest. Does not this fact go far, at any rate, to confirm the theory held by many ornithologists to be the correct one, that the female cuckoo drops her eggs into nests by means of her bill, as it is well known she is provided by Nature with an enlargement in the throat, in which the egg could be carried in safety during her flight in search of a suitable place in which to deposit it. I give here a quotation from Bewick on the subject:—
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
AUDAS, T. How does the Cuckoo deposit her Eggs?. Nature 8, 182 (1873). https://doi.org/10.1038/008182f0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/008182f0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.