The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1883-05-17
The True Story OF tho Cuckoo.

ihe True Story or the Cuckoo.
Our correspondent whose interesting
communication on cuckoo lore appeared
last week Is at fault in stating that tho
young cuckoo turns out its fellow-nest-
lings from love of supremacy, and that
the young birds expelled are smaller than
itself. Being usually hatched before the
cuckoo, they arc gererally Of equal size,
and rather larger than the intruder; and
their expulsion is necessary for his duo
uourishment by the miniature foster
parent. In fact, when, as sometimes
happens, two cuckOos are Matched in ono
nest, they cndcavor each to expcl the
other; and III one case observed by Hcrr
Adolph Muller, and described in Der
E"0t0g'SchC GdrtCH for October. 1868
the smaller succeeded in expelling the
larger. But we will let Mrs Blackburn
relate her own account of what sho saw:
The nest (Which we watched last June
after hndlng the cuckoo's egg in it) was
thnt OF the common meadow pipit (titlark,
~osscheepes), and had two pipit's eggs
beside that of the cuckoo. 1t was below
n hcathcr-bush, on the dcclivity of n
low, abrupt bank on a Highland hillside
in Moidart
At one visit the pipits were found to
be hatchcd, but not the cuckoo. At the
next visit, which was after an interval of
1orty-elght hours, we found the young
cuckoo alone III the nest, and both the
young pipits lying down the bank, about
ton inches from the margin Of the nest,
but quite lively after being warmed in
the hand. They were replaced in tho
nest beside the cuckoo, which strurUlcd
| about till it rot its back under ono of
them, when it climbed backward directly
up inc open SIDE OF the nest, and pitched
the plplt from its back on to the edge.
Ii thcn stood quite upright on its legs,
winch were straddlcd wide apart, with
the claws firmly fixed half way down
the Inside of the nest. among the inter-
lacing fDers of which the nest was
woven; and, stretching its wings apart
ana backward 1T clhOwcd the pipt fairly
/ over the margin so far that its struggles
| took 1t down the bank instead of back
into the nest.
After this the cuckoo st nod n minute
or two, feeling back with its wings, us if
to make sure that the pipt wns fairly
| overheard, and then yubSidcd into the
| bottom of the nest
AS it vas getting late, and the cuckoo
! did not Immediately set to work on the
other nesting, | replaced the elected
one, and went home. On returning ncxt
day, both nCstlings were found dead and
cold. out of the nest. I replaced one of
them, but the cuckoo made no effort to
get under and eject it, but settled itself
contentcdly OH the top of it. All this I
find accords accurately with Jcnner's
description OF what he saw. But what
struck me most was this: tho cuckoo was
perfectly naked, without n vcstigc of n
feather, or even hint Of future feathers:
It's eyes were not yot opened, and it's
neck seemed too weak to support tho
weight of its head.
The pipits had well-dcvclopcd uuills
on the wings and back, and had bright
eyes, partially open; yet they seemed
quite helpless under tho mani pulutions
pf the cuckoo, which looked much less
developed creature. Tho cuckoo's LEGS.
however, seemed very muscular, and it
appeared to feel about with it's wings,
which were absolutely feathcrlrss, as
with hands, the 'spurious wing" (m.
usually large IN proportion) looking like
a Sprcad-out thumb. The most singular
thing of all was the direct purpose with
which tho blind little monster made for
the open side of the nest, the only part
where it could throw its burden down
the bank. [ think all the spectators felt
the sort OF horror and awe ut the apparcnt
lnadcquacy of the creatures inteiligcnco
to ITS acts that one might have felt ut
seeing toothlesS hag raise n ghost by
| hn lncantntlon 1t was horribly Gun.
canny and "Grew-somc. "-Inc Quccn,