2i8 WILD NATURE'S WAYS. 



ever-willing and enthusiastic marshman friend to 

 fill an old boat to overflowing with reeds and 

 coarse marsh hay, and moor it at some distance 

 from the nest, but in full view of it. After the 

 craft and its unobtrusive cargo had been left a 

 day and a night for the loon's inspection, it 

 was moved somewhat closer. This method of 

 quiet ingratiation went on steadily for the next 

 three or four days, when I put in an appearance 

 with the camera. 



Inducing my companion to go forward in his 

 fowling punt and place a ginger-beer bottle up- 

 right in the centre of the grebe's nest, I lowered 

 my camera overboard into the broad, where all the 

 full length of the legs of the tripod was submerged, 

 saving an inch or two at the top, and focussed 

 the bottle as representative of the bird's neck 

 and breast. The camera was carefully swathed 

 in litter, and I was buried deep in the boat 

 beneath it with just a tiny peep-hole commanding 

 a view of the nest and its immediate surroundings, 

 and left to my fate and sufferings with a char- 

 acteristically cheerful " Good luck " from my 

 companion. 



For live and a quarter hours I was lying with 

 my knees in bilge water, and every bone in my 

 body aching excruciatingly whilst the loon chased 

 away coots and water-hens that incautiously 

 strayed too near for her liking, or leisurely watched 



