538 On Birds in the Ancre Valley. [Ibis, 



During the spell of frost tliey were in great distress and, 

 with the Moorhens, suffered heavy casualties. They were 

 moi'fi than once at this time observed on the wing, Hying up 

 and down over the marshes in search of open water Their 

 flight was weak, aud they frequently blundered into trees. 



They were found very numerous as far up tiie river as 

 Beaucourt on 26 February, but above this point few were 

 seen. 



The Coots were very noisy in the evenings, and, during 

 the moonlight nights in December, their cries were incessant 

 until a late hour. 



Columba palumbus. Ring- Dove. 



Small numbers were seen in the vicinity of Bouziucourt 

 and in Aveluy Wood, and in January a few came down to 

 the marsh below Authuille. Towards the end of March 

 there were large flocks of several hundreds of birds near 

 Behagnies. 



Perdix perdix. Common Partridge. 



Partridges have become very numerous in this area, and 

 coveys were to be found in every field round our battery 

 positions before the advance began. 



These birds paid remarkably little attention to the guns. 

 On 31 October, near Englebelmer, 1 saw a party of seven 

 or eight feeding in a stubble-field, about 30 yards in front 

 of a 9'2-inch howitzer battery which was firing at the time. 

 Again, on 3 November, there was a covey some 40 yards 

 in front of our battery when we were about to engage a 

 target. When the guns commenced firing directly over 

 their heads they did not take flight, but continued chasing- 

 each other and crowing, merely pausing for a moment and 

 crouching down each time a gun was fired. 



A few of the birds penetrated to the shelled areas shortly 

 after they fell into our hands, coveys being seen near 

 Thiepval villagH! in October and near Beaucourt and Grand- 

 court in February. 



