1902 Bird-Life on the Broads : Summer 205 



of tall Angelica, whitely gleaming from out the rough green 

 grasses. 



Here I was wont to come and pass the day, beating the 

 trees for beetles, sitting long hours by the sandy banks to 

 stay the too hurried flight of the nesting bees, but mostly 

 strolling, pipe in mouth, among the aromatic umbels, which 

 were crowded with flies and bees and butterflies, and even 

 beetles too. Every now and then I caught the glint of a 

 Musk-beetle, stretched full length and covering nearly all 

 the table ; and on one sultry afternoon I saw four flying high 

 above the flowers, with legs and horns streaming behind 

 them, like a duck's quaint legs. They were, however, out 

 of reach, so I plaintively questioned " 'Romia, 'Romia, 

 where for art thou, 'Romia ? " Anon, a brilliant Rose-beetle 

 was sipping nectar, and, farther yet, a fine red and white and 

 black Ichneumon, or a great green grasshopper, waved its 

 horns in warning to all who would " molest her ancient, 

 solitary reign." 



And so the day wore on, till dusk descended as it only 

 can in England, gently, unconsciously ; gradually the sun 

 sank redly below the fragrant heather, shedding a last warm 

 glow upon the pine-tops ; the shadows blackened among 

 the alder-stumps ; the redness melted into gold, until I 

 found the moon already high and shard-borne beetles boom- 

 ing down the silent vale. Turning, with mingled feelings, 

 I struck across the heath 



" Where the rooks stream home in a golden sky ; 

 And the world complains that a day should die ! " 



Bird=Life on the Broads: Summer. 



By Rev. M. C. H. Bird, M.A., M.B.O.U. 



A TYPICAL midsummer day on the Broads presents, to the 

 casual observer, no such medley of bird-life as one cannot 

 help noticing hereabouts in the springtime, before vege- 

 tation has sufficiently advanced to conceal our feathered 

 visitors and the families which they have now to protect 



