8 THE HOME-LIFE OF 



some of the bolder spirits began to return. Nor was 

 my bird long behind, and now instead of gazing mis- 

 trustfully at the lens, she seemed almost to have 

 forgotten its existence, and when her eye did fall upon it 

 her mien was more that of curiosity than alarm. There 

 are personalties in birds just as in human beings, though 

 through lack of intimacy they tend to pass unnoticed. 

 The salient characteristics, at all events from the photo- 

 ornithologist's point of view, are those of patience, 

 timidity and suspiciousness. One bird in a colony 

 may quickly return, while another, no nearer to the 

 camera, may refuse to do so hour after hour. And so 

 it was in this case. My present bird had thrown fear 

 aside, while the one I first made advances to still remained 

 fearful and suspicious, often rising hurriedly from the 

 nest, startling her near neighbours. 



My old Spoonbill was now, at the end of rather more 

 than a week, just beginning to get into this desirable 

 state of trustfulness, when an unfortunate accident 

 occurred and revived her fears. As previously noted, 

 the bottom, even three feet below the surface, was not of 

 the best, but by doubling up the strong reeds, which 

 were nearly as tough as cane, a fairly sound footing had 

 been made. Perhaps this had become disarranged with 

 long trampling, or perhaps in slightly turning my position 

 the whole weight was thrown heavily on one leg. Be 

 this as it may, one foot suddenly went down further 

 into the mud, and losing my balance I lurched heavily 

 against the side of the tent, nearly dragging the whole 

 thing into the water. How much noise I really made 

 I never knew, for mingling wdth it and completely 

 drowning it was the roar of the startled colony as it took 

 wing in a body. 



There was something fascinating in watching 

 these great birds as in each circuit they swept 

 hurriedly across my narrow field of view, the rest of 

 their course being only sensible by the swishing of their 



