VIRGINIA BIRD HOMES 
131 
YOUNG MARSH TERN HIDING 
hovering provokingly, throwing up her wings as though 
certainly alighting, again was off. This was repeated till 
I was thoroughly tired. No further covering of the camera, 
changing its position, trimming it with leaves, or making an 
arched passage for it under the grass made any difference. 
Then I tried other nests, and it was the same old story. Thus 
was nearly a whole day wasted. 
Next day was my last, the Fourth of July, and roasting 
hot, but I was early at the work again. The night before 
I had placed piles of seaweed near the nests, and was con¬ 
fident of success. But as the hours again slipped away, and 
no bird had given me a shot, I nearly lost hope, for I had to 
start back at one o’clock. Lying on my face in the burning 
sand, I began to fear being overcome by the heat, and 
