WOOD AND WASTE 21 



first discovering a very indistinct trail from 

 water to flax, then in the dark shade of masses 

 of fallen blades, a fairly distinct passage 

 free of all cobweb, winding beneath the 

 dead stnif . I became more sure again, noting 

 the traffic route, and especially where the 

 birds had squeezed between a fork of manuka 

 and an exposed flax root. 



The discovery of an infinitesimal shred of 

 brown down that could only have come 

 from the covering of the eggs made me 

 certain, and presently the glimpse of eggs 

 was my reward. When the nest has been 

 carefully covered by the Scaup before going 

 off, discovery is even more difficult, as the 

 brown down admirably matches the flax 

 waste. 



The proper gear for this kind of bird 

 nesting is pickaxe, spade and lantern, the 

 oldest possible rig-out, and a hat that can 

 be glued to the skull like a cowl. 



The little Scaup hatched out by our hens 

 were tiny brown creatures with dispropor- 

 tionate feet, enormous for their body's size, 

 and reminding one of children wearing 

 their father's fishing brogues. They were 



