3 o2 BIRD-HUNTING 



taken, one clutch containing a pale-blue egg. I 

 have seen similar eggs in the nests of Common 

 Tern, but I have never seen such a variation 

 among all the hundreds of Black Terns' eggs I 

 have met with in different countries. We shot a 

 pair of Gadnall for the pot. These ducks are most 

 excellent eating. We had been having short com- 

 mons lately, and one reason for our coming out was 

 to shoot something to eat. I hadn't tasted meat 

 for days. Rettig told me that he was sometimes 

 driven to eat Cuckoos and Hoopoes, which are 

 considered here good food. I also knocked over 

 a White-eyed Pochard and a Mallard, but the former 

 was only winged, and dived and was no more seen. 

 I ought to have fired again when it first fell, for 

 unless they are killed outright they nearly always 

 escape by diving. 



When we had come to our last cartridge, loaded 

 with special big shot for Eagles or Swans, a pair 

 of Red-crested Pochards (Fuligula rufina) were 

 approached, but though the large shot tore up 

 the water all round them they both flew up 

 untouched. 



One reason, as I have said, for our day's outing 

 was to shoot for the pot ; the other reason was 

 that this day was a special saints' day in this village, 

 and all Tulcea would drive over, and the village 

 would be en fete. Last year sixty people called to 



