210 Pictures of Bird Life 



Tlie best way to investigate tlie bird life of this most 

 interesting district is to li\e on board a small yacht or 

 wherry with accommodation for sleeping ; and if two or 

 three men witli similar tastes join in an expedition of this sort, 

 it is by far the cheapest as well as the most enjoyable way. 

 There is the great advantage of being always on the spot, 

 and having a temporary home close to your day's work, 

 instead of having to trudge long distances daily to and 

 from the nearest inn. 



A party of four spent ten days in such a yacht in 

 May, 1899, living in the midst of oin- feathered friends, and 

 a most enjoyable time we had. Our e\ening meals under 

 the awning over the boom, while we discussed the events 

 of the day and om- plans for the morrow, were enliAcned 

 by the drumming of a Snipe across the river : and the 

 latest sounds as we turned in for tlie night were the 

 ripple of the water past our bows, the reeling of the 

 Grasshopper-warblers, and the Sedge-warblers chattering in 

 the reeds. 



In the immediate neighbourhood of our boat we found 

 several nests of the Bearded Tit, and saw every day 

 some of the birds, ^lost beautiful and most distinguished- 

 looking of all our native birds they seem to me, and it 

 is a thousand pities they are getting so scarce. I am 

 glad to say our party had, before starting, resolved not to 

 take a single egg of the Bearded Tit during oiu' stay. 



It is easy enough to find the nests if you know how 

 and where to look ; but you must be prepared to wade. 



