i 3 o BIRD-HUNTING 



These articles don't take up much room on a pack- 

 horse, and are less bulky and weighty than a tent ; 

 and it is a great advantage when travelling in a wild 

 and sparsely inhabited country to know that in case 

 of need one can sleep out in the open if belated and 

 unable to reach one's destination by nightfall. For 

 after dark it is impossible to travel over such a 

 rough country. Snugly enveloped in my bag, I have 

 slept warmly and comfortably on cold nights with 

 ice on the ground outside the tent, and even in the 

 open air on damp ground during heavy rain. 



Turning out early in the morning, we were soon 

 afloat with our friends the fishermen, and on reaching 

 the islands I was landed quietly with camera and 



several dozen plates, and left to myself. B 



remained on a small island opposite, where, prone 

 on the ground, he watched the proceedings through 

 his glass. 



There was no great difficulty in approaching the 

 birds. Taking care to move slowly and quietly, and 

 not to cause them undue alarm at first, I found it 

 possible to advance nearer and nearer, taking photo- 

 graphs at each stopping-place, and then crawling a 

 little nearer for another batch. In this way they 

 ultimately permitted me to come within twelve or 

 fifteen yards. If sometimes they left their nests 

 it was only for a short distance, and they soon 

 returned and resumed their places on their eggs, 



