1 62 BIRD-HUNTING 



to be found on the low-lying Albanian side of the 

 lake ; but as I had already found them breeding 

 farther south I did not trouble further about them. 

 I had no doubt that the Great White Heron, too, 

 must be nesting in similar situations ; but the 

 difficulty was how to search such a labyrinth, 

 especially as the fishermen absolutely refused to 

 take me out farther away from the town. They 

 said that if they were to be seen searching about 

 with Christians we should all certainly be shot by 

 the people inhabiting the country between the lake 

 and the hills. 



In the meantime I had noticed that several White 

 Herons were in the habit of feeding close to the 

 Custom-house in the very early morning, where the 

 water is shallow, and as there was a belt of willow- 

 trees which would serve to hide behind, I determined 

 to try to photograph them there. 



The next morning I succeeded in photographing 

 Ardea alba, fishing in this spot, and had the best 

 view I had yet been able to have of their method 

 of feeding. For close to my hiding-place I was 

 able to watch three different species of Herons and 

 to compare their behaviour. 



The common Grey Heron [Ardea cinerea) stood 

 in its usual and well-known position, motionless and 

 expectant, ready to make a lightning-like stroke 

 with its pointed beak the moment any unwary fish 



