80 BIRDS OF THE WATER 



Not only would the hens not sit them- 

 selves, but they made his life a burden by 

 constant false alarms. Sometimes when he 

 had really settled on the nest, and when the 

 agitated flick of his tail was subsiding, 

 ihere would be a violent dive into the thick, 

 crinkly raupo beside him, or a sudden 

 squaw^k immediateh^ behind. Then, when 

 they had done what they could to thoroughly 

 discompose his mind, they would glide off* 

 and for hours leave the poor fellow to 

 possible danger and certain discomfort. 

 Certainly among this species the male is 

 the bolder bird in incubation. I may say 

 indeed, that the hens would not front the 

 lens. This particular cock was in glorious 

 plumage, and we admired him also for his 

 grit. A married friend, however, to whom 

 I related the circumstances, suggested that 

 w^e were giving the cock too much credit 

 altogether, for dangerous as might be the 

 proximity of the lens, and uncomfortable 

 as might be the rays of the sun, yet there 

 in the nest he was alone and free for a 

 time at any rate from the worries of 

 domestic life. The eggs laid in this nest 



