THROUGH WILD EUROPE 175 



the place entirely to myself. I ought to have done 

 this before, for hardly had they left the place than 

 the bird returned to the nest, standing up well in 

 the middle as I had seen her the day before. I had 

 made up my mind to be satisfied with no other 

 position, but to keep on until I had secured it, so 

 that I was pleased at having succeeded so early in 

 the day. After that I had to wait two or three 

 hours, as she seemed more timid than ever, and 

 when she did come it was only to the back of the 

 nest, where I could barely see her through the 

 reeds. As her young ones couldn't get to her, she 

 gradually forced her way through and stood in the 

 nest, where I was able to photograph her several 

 times. 



The electric camera was also set at a neighbouring 

 nest, and I found it had gone off at the end of the 

 day. I had hidden it on what I had thought was 

 an empty nest, but when I went to it I found a 

 young Grey Heron, nearly fledged, sitting on it. 

 For the bird to make the exposure I had stretched 

 a fine green thread over the nest, so that on returning 

 she would be bound to touch it. 



These few photographs of the Great White Heron 

 cost me no less than six days' hard work in three 

 and a half feet of water, while I had spent a whole 

 month in the search for a nest. 



There were a good many Marsh Harriers about, 



