176 BIRDS, BEASTS, AND FISHES 



a heap of broken-down rush and green reed, often having all 

 the appearance of being made by the birds dropping from 

 a height into the stuff and breaking it down into a formless 

 mass. 



The last nest I knew taken was in 1874 by the fenman 

 who found it. He said : " 'Twor in July, we was mowing 

 rushes in a rush mash, when we see the old bird hovering 

 right over the top on us, but we didn't pay no regard to it, 

 though that kep on shrieking like an old kitty down on the 

 North Sea. We kep a mowing, and all at onest I mowed 

 as close to her as I am ter you, and up she jumped, and I 

 picked over the stuff and there lay her neast, built o' rushes 

 and reed, wid four egg in her, I let the eggs be, and runned 

 for my old betsy, but twarn't no good ; up she go shaling 

 right out of sight." 



At times the young birds are to be seen sitting silently on 

 marsh posts, heaps of litter, and on the walls — that familiar 

 dining-table of the marsh-hawks, owls, harriers, and even 

 herons, as their plentiful casts indubitably prove. 



But few of them escape the ubiquitous gunner after shoot- 

 ing comes in, and one old gunner assures me he shot one 

 in November, and I believe him. I have seen them in 

 September, and farmers tell me they have met them coming 

 sharply round a stack after harvest, as if they had been 

 hunting for something thereabouts. 



But few go away at all — the blood-money makes them 

 eagerly sought after by every gunner in the parish ; and 

 perhaps they know this, for I have not heard of a nest being 

 found during the last few years, though I have seen more 

 than one pair, and sought their nest for many a day round a 

 sallow-bush — a spot sometimes chosen by them for nesting 

 — yet no nest could I find, only dung ; it was evidently 

 their roosting-place, if nothing more. Young birds, how- 

 ever, are seen about every year ; so, after all, it is probable 

 they still breed in the district. 



