BirD LIFE AND BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY. 201 
incredibly short time first covers up its eggs, and then dives 
straight into the water without leaving so much as a ripple to 
betray its presence. It then stays with only its head above water 
near the nest, till it is safe again for it to resume incubation. My 
audience may be glad to know that this bird successfully reared 
its brood. 
’ WHITE WAGTAIL. 
This photograph of a white wagtail’s nest was taken in 
Iceland by Mr Legard. This bird, though only a rare visitor to 
our shores, is probably often overlooked on account of its simi- 
larity of plumage to our familiar pied wagtail, the nest and eggs 
of which are indistinguishable. Here we see the bird near its 
nest. I regret that the photograph does not more clearly show 
the plumage; but the white wagtail can always be distinguished 
from the pied by the preponderance of grey on its back, and by 
the more conspicuous white on its wings. 
Meapow Pipir’s NEst AND CucKOoo’s EGG. 
This nest belongs to a meadow pipit, but contains, in addition 
to its proper complement, the egg of a cuckoo. Its larger size at 
once distinguishes it. The parasitic habits of the cuckoo are well 
known, and upwards of 120 different birds have been known to 
have been thus imposed upon. In this locality, the meadow pipit 
would appear to be the most common victim. 
Rep NECKED PHALAROPE. 
Our next four photographs are of the red necked phalarope, 
an exceedingly rare nesting bird in Great Britain. Owing to the 
greed of egg collectors, this bird has been almost exterminated 
from its original nesting haunts on the north-west coast of Scot- 
land. I know of no bird whose habits are more engaging. The 
female is the more brilliantly plumaged of the pair, and contrary 
to custom (I should perhaps say bird custom), courts the male. 
On him devolves the duties of incubation and also the care of the 
young: the female being content to idly preen herself on some 
neighbouring pool, without a thought of domestic cares. My 
photograph was obtained in Ireland. Here we can barely see the 
nest, hidden as it is by the short herbage of a maritime shore. 
Without moving the camera, but by pressing down the herbage on 
either side, we can see the four pear-shaped eggs—the smallest 
