Bird Life in Dutch Marshes 231 



narrow clianiiels cut in tlie reeds, and as soon as caiioht 

 they iire all placed in a stew-pond at the back of the 

 keeper's house. It is a sight, on the eve of market day, to 

 see tills steAV emptied by means of an innnense net raised 

 by the united efforts of four or five stout Dutchmen. As 

 it nears the surface, it is seen to contain a solid mass of 

 fish struggling and kicking, 'i'hen they are picked out by 

 large landing-nets, and placed in \ arious receptacles according 

 to kind. 



The first bird to be seen, as one leaves the keeper's 

 cottage for the "• nicer "' in a flat-bottomed punt, is probably a 

 Black Tern, sitting on one of the stakes of the drum-nets, 

 or skimming o^'er the surface of the water after dragon-flies. 

 Tliis bird takes the place of the Swallows, which are scarce, 

 and, so they say, decreasing in numbers every year. Then 

 as one progresses Coots are heard, plunging and clanking 

 amid the reeds on each side, and presently a brown bird 

 about the size of a Thrush darts across and dives into the 

 thickest part of the reeds. This is about all one sees of 

 the Great Reed-war])ler, though its harsh, grating song 

 may })e heard in every direction. By standing still and 

 motionless, you may see the bird, as it sings, gradually 

 mounting the upright reed-stem until it reaches the top ; but 

 at the slightest movement it will drop into the thick imder- 

 growth, still singing, though invisible. It is a great skulker. 



The song is unmistakable, when once heard, and soiuids 

 like " Kara-kara-karra," etc., from which the Dutch name 

 *' Karakeite " is derived. Groote KiU'akeite and Kleine Kara- 



