194 BIRDS OF NORFOLK, 



reed, one patcli tlie very counterpart of the next, that 

 lie should be able to remember the exact spot, but to 

 him it is easy enough from long habit and atten- 

 tion to little details. The broken head of a bull- 

 rush stem, in a hue with a small tree still further 

 back, gives him his "bearings," as surely as the '^buoy," 

 just ^^ opening out" the steeple on the nearest head- 

 land, guides the course of the pilot over the track- 

 less sea. Running the boat close up to the bank, he 

 carefully parts the foremost reeds with his oar, and 

 there is the nest, close to the water's edge, but fairly 

 screened from ordinary observation, and only to be found 

 by watching the actions of the birds. How neatly and 

 strongly the withered materials are wound round the 

 reeds, two green stems and an old one of last year being 

 used in this case as the props of the structure. The eggs 

 are deep down m that pretty basket, with httle fear of 

 their rolling out, supported as it is by surrounding reeds, 

 and the wind, though high, waves the whole mass at once, 

 bending to the blast and rising again. Listen to that 

 strange note, not much unlike the croak of the night- 

 ingale, it is the hen bird anxiously waiting our departure, 

 and resenting our inspection of her household treasures. 

 There she is, chmbing stem after stem, flitting from one 

 to the other, dropping to the ground, and again ascend- 

 ing in a very fever of maternal trouble; and further, 

 unseen, her mate is calling, so let us go, we have seen 

 enough to wonder at and admire, and may well spare 

 the result of such wondrous instinct. On once more 

 to that Httle island, far out in the open stream, where 

 the heron rose on our first arrival. There most pro- 

 bably we shall find another nest, though very different 

 in size and structure. Row gently then, and as we 

 approach the spot keep a sharp eye upon the fringe of 

 sedges by the water side. Surely she cannot have left 

 already ? No ! but see, she is off at last, though only that 



