114 The Common Crane 
have noted any particular portions of such an expanse through 
one’s telescope, the moment one lowers the glass and tries to pick 
up the same point by direct vision, the chances are twenty to 
one that the eye becomes hopelessly confused and the result is 
failure. Here however, fortune unexpectedly favoured me, for 
scattered at intervals throughout the great marsh were small belts 
of young bulrush, forming to the eye bands of slightly darker green. 
By such adventitious aid I was enabled to locate approximately 
the desired spot as being somewhat to the left of the fourth or 
fifth patch of dark rushes. So far, so good. But the moment 
I descended from my hill and entered the marsh the apparent 
position of these dark patches underwent a complete change and 
they seemed all to merge into one mass, and I had to trust to 
a dead reckoning of my course, somewhat aided by the dark 
rushes, but also somewhat complicated by them, for on entering 
the reeds I found bulrush growing sparsely all over the place. 
As I neared the spot I had marked, both Cranes suddenly rose 
from points wide apart and after flying about a quarter of a mile 
alighted together and watched my proceedings. As I was curious 
to see what they would do if I approached them, I marked the spot 
where I suspected the nest to be by planting my long iron-shod 
garrocha in the mud and rode towards them. And now I was 
witness of a spectacle for which I was not prepared. First 
one and then the other of the great birds gave me a gratuitous 
exhibition of what it was like to be a wounded Crane. No Lapwing 
ever did the trick with such adroitness. It seemed almost dis- 
courteous to disoblige them by ignoring their efforts, and I spurred 
my horse on as if to overtake them. 
It was quite touching to note the desperate earnestness with 
which they suddenly acquired a broken leg or a stiff joint and 
tumbled over (much as a boy does who having attached a stilt on 
one leg, strives to walk), eventually having recourse to their wings 
