Identifier: ourcommoncuckooo00japp (find matches)
Title: Our common cuckoo and other cuckoos and parasitical birds : an attempt to reach a true theory of them by comparative study of habit and function : with a thorough criticism and exposure of Darwin's views and Romane's views and those of their followers
Year: 1899 (1890s)
Authors: Japp, Alexander H. (Alexander Hay), 1839-1905 Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882 Romanes, George John, 1848-1894
Subjects: Cuckoos Birds
Publisher: London : T. Burleigh

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y in a case where facts—observed facts—mustalone decide it. Mr. Gentry, in his Birds of Pennsylvania, ii, p. 115,remarks concerning the American cuckoo : As the eggs are deposited at irregular intervals,it happens that the same nest contains both eggs andyoung birds, which seems to be a wise provision ofnature in strengthening that degree of warmth whichis denied by the shallowmess and looseness of thenest. Mr. Gentry has never known more than a singlebrood in one season—a most important point in viewof the disposal by the majority of these cuckoos ofone half of their eggs. These facts are certainly not \vithout their ownsignificance in view^ of our proposition. These birds,in the \vords of Mr. Maclhvraith, exhibit no lovefor the brooding and rearing process as do most otherbirds ; they are fain to limit the period of it—also thenumber of young raised by themselves. They buildbut a sorry make-shift of a nest, without sufficiencyof warmth. They, at least, have a strong tendency
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The Yellow-hilled Cuckoo. 233 to parasitism ; and, what is more natural in such cir-cumstances and with such a predisposition, that amidfavourable surroundings they should become moreand more parasitic. We should regard that as amost natural and logical inference from the facts wehave before us ; and if Professor Alfred Newtonmaintains the opposite, we have simply to say thatwe out and out disagree with him, and that his boldignoring of the facts will in the end not benefit himany more than it would anyone else. And it is unquestionable that, under civilizationand mans improvements, the numbers of cuckoos inAmerica are extending as their range is increasing. The yellow - billed cuckoo has a very extensiverange in summer ; breeding from the Gulf coastnorth to the Dominion of Canada, New Brunswick,and Minnesota, and from the West Indies, where itis known as the Maybird, and through EasternMexico to Costa Rica. Some even winter in SouthernFlorida. ... Of late years it has made its appear

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