DABC HICKS AND NeST 



CHAPTER XII 



One evening in June 1901 — the 6th, to be precise 

 — I was walking near Tuddenham, where a big lane 

 crosses a little stream by a rustic bridge, and 

 stopped to lean against the palings on one side. 

 Looking along the water, I saw, but hardly noticed, 

 what looked like a snag or stump, round which 

 some weeds and debris had accumulated. All at 

 once, my eye caught something move on this, and, 

 turning the glasses upon it, I at once saw that a 

 dabchick was sitting on its nest. I watched it, for a 

 little, and as it had built within full view of the 

 roadside, so it was evident that it was not in the 

 smallest degree alarmed by my presence, though, 

 under other circumstances, it would certainly have 

 stolen away before I was within the distance. This 



was about 7.15, and at 7.30 I saw another dabchick 



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