110 The Common Crane 
there are now hardly half a dozen to be found during the summer 
months. In such circumstances it becomes almost a crime to rob 
their nests. 
In 1906 I was especially keen to find once again a Crane’s nest, 
as I was anxious to obtain photographs of the nest and eggs for 
the purposes of this book. 
The very difficulties of the whole operation as | knew well 
from past experiences gave additional zest to the undertaking. 
The region where some few Cranes still nest comprises many square 
miles of marshland covered with luxuriant reed-beds, and owing to 
distances, topographical obstacles and the lack of accommodation 
this district is decidedly difficult to reach and to explore thoroughly. 
The whole of the lower lying lands are submerged by the winter 
floods, and as these dry off vast areas remain which in some years 
are still under water until the summer. It is due to this variety 
of levels that the reeds in some places attain to a great height, 
in others owing to the water draining off earlier in the spring, are 
only 4 ft. or 5 ft. high and in others for the same reason again still 
less. The particular ground selected by the Cranes is usually 
where there is water from 9g in. to 18 in. in depth, and where the 
reeds are not too high to prevent these wary birds when they stand 
up on the nest from seeing the approach of anybody through or 
over the tops of the reeds. How vast and apparently interminable 
are these reed-beds can best be realized by those who have set 
themselves the task of traversing them. At places they are so 
luxuriant and strong in growth that it requires considerable exertion 
to force one’s way along even for a few yards at a time. 
It was on one of the early days of May that I rode out to a 
part of the marshes where I had noticed several pairs of Cranes on 
more than one occasion during the previous month. This portion 
satisfied the conditions I have described as a breeding-spot for the 
Crane, and, further, was of reasonable size, extending for over 
