VIRGINIA BIRD HOMES 



131 



YOUNG MARSH TERN HIDING 



hovering provokingly, throwing up her wings as though 

 certainly ahghting, again was off. This was repeated till 

 I was thoroughly tired. No further covering of the camera, 

 changing its position, trimming it with leaves, or making an 

 arched passage for it under the grass made any difference. 

 Then I tried other nests, and it was the same old story. Thus 

 was nearly a whole day wasted. 



Next day was my last, the Fourth of July, and roasting 

 hot, but I was early at the work again. The night before 

 I had placed piles of seaweed near the nests, and was con- 

 fident of success. But as the hours again slipped away, and 

 no bird had given me a shot, I nearly lost hope, for I had to 

 start back at one o'clock. Lying on my face in the burning 

 sand, I began to fear being overcome by the heat, and 



