286 Bird - Lore 



The nest was a shallow bowl of dry reeds, lodged six inches above the moist 

 mud. The surrounding reeds were drawn together in an arch above, and hid 

 the nest so completely that I could not see the bird as I stood over her. Not 

 until I parted the reeds did she creep off and fly to the bushes at the swamp- 

 ■edge. 



It was growing late, so I made preparations for my camera-work of the 

 next day. I cut three sticks and set them up near the nest. Over these I 



VIRGINIA RAILS ONE DAY OLD 



draped a green cloth, in rough imitation of a camera, and bound it round 

 with cat-tails, more to hide it from the by-passers than from the bird itself. 

 All this time the Rail had been calling anxiously, as she crept about the under- 

 "brush, now with deep, gurgling noises, again with high, piping notes, such as 

 one hears on clear nights during the autumnal migration. When I withdrew, 

 the scolding was silenced, and twenty minutes later she was back on the nest. 



The next day I returned and set up my camera in place of the dmnmy. 

 I ran a long thread from the shutter to the shade of some bushes at the edge 

 ■of the swamp, and there sat down to await the return of the mother bird. 

 A Bob-white was calling from a near-by willow, and a Green Heron flew from 

 time to time to her nest in the bushes across the swamp. The delicious swamp 

 "blueberries growing within reach made the time pass quickly. After half an 

 liour of quiet waiting, I set off the shutter and, creeping up behind the camera, 

 saw the mother rail sitting peacefully upon her eggs. 



That evening I discovered that several eggs were slightly pipped. The 

 following day the pipped marks extended entirely around the shells, but not 



