Practical 
hints. 
Ste INTRODUCTION 
A few practical hints, from personal experience, may here 
be given as to the manner in which birds may be most. 
readily observed in their natural haunts, and, if necessary, 
collected. A powerful binocular with a wide field of vision 
is essential, as by far the greater number of sea-birds will 
not admit of near approach and inspection, at all events in 
the absence of cover. In their breeding-haunts most species. 
can be watched at a few yards’ distance; otherwise, only 
under exceptional circumstances, as when immature birds 
first reach our shores in early autumn and are unsuspicious 
of the prowling gunner, can one get close enough on the 
open strand to make accurate observations with the naked 
eye. When watching birds on the slob-lands, it is most 
important that one’s dress should harmonise as nearly 
as possible with the natural surroundings, and when walking 
over the beach an apparently unconcerned gait should be 
assumed. Many birds become accustomed to the presence 
of cockle-pickers and cinder-gatherers, and can well dis- 
tinguish between those persons who have no idea of 
harming them, and the gunner who lurks about intent on 
destruction. 
The keen sight possessed by birds for distant objects 1s 
remarkable. When the observer descries a large flock in the 
distance, resembling at first a puff of smoke moving rapidly 
along the horizon, he should crouch low and remain perfectly 
still until a rush of wings tells him that the flock is passing 
overhead. Should the tide be ebbing and should he have 
selected a favourable position, the flock may swoop down 
and alight quite near him. I have often baffled birds by 
doubling myself into such curious attitudes that they 
probably mistook me for some inanimate object, such as. 
an old hamper or a piece of sacking washed ashore, and 
by this means I have found myself surrounded by great 
numbers busily pattering about in search of food (Plate L, 
Frontispiece). 
Some of the carrion-feeding species which haunt our 
shores, and are seen hovering suspiciously over a stranded 
carcase before alighting to “feed, may be brought within 
sufficiently close range “for their habits to be studied, by 
the observer feigning death. By lying flat on my back 
