256 Pictures of Bird Life 



Their chosen retreat, too. is perhaps the prettiest l)it of 

 tlie wliole '• ineer." Tlieir nests are placed in an open space 

 smTonnded l)y reeds, and spano^led witli tlie tloatin(>' leaves 

 and white flowers of the water-lily, rivalling their own spot- 

 less plnniage in purity and })eauty. Though the water is 

 deep — quite three or four feet — the nests are solid structures 

 of reeds, apparently l)uilt up from the bottom. In a small 

 hollow in the top the tlnx-e <)li\'e-brown eggs lie on a 

 lining of smaller and finer material. Other nests are made 

 on the edge of a small island, and many are hidden from 

 sight in the midst of the surrounding reeds. 



On a long heap or stack of cut-down reed-bundles rows 

 of the CtuIIs may be seen perching, and there are generally 

 two or three preening themsehes on the to]) of a notice- 

 board close to tlieir nesting-place. Tliev may be seen 

 hunting for food oAcr the luxuriant meadows which sur- 

 roimd the " meer," and searching the dykes and ditches. 



Coots are exceedingly numerous : but, cm-iously enough, 

 the A\^ater-hen seems to })e (piite a scarce bird in Holland, 

 where one would naturally expect it to al)()uud. 'i'he country 

 seems to be made on purpose for it. and yet I do not 

 remember ever seeing more than one. 



On my last ^isit I had tlie pleasure of listening daily 

 to the " boom * of a Bittern ; and a weird sound it is — 

 certainly not what anybody would connect in any way witli 

 a bird. The Dutch name. " Roer-dump," expresses the 

 sound very well. The first part resembles a big indrawn 

 sigh, and the second a hollow '* dump." The keeper 



