FOR BIRDS’ NESTS : LATE JUNE 107 
— 
This nest was built of dried sedge leaves 
and well decayed reed blades, materials of 
which plenty were at hand, their harshness 
being modified by short brown bents of 
reed a-twelve-month old lining the interior. 
The old hen bird, concealed from view, had 
scurried through the stems, and now joined by 
her mate popped out into the water, quite 
some fifty yards away, to inspect the mde 
invaders of their shores. The pair were joined 
by a female wild-duck, which flew and swam 
away in evident alarm, showing us Clearly 
that she too had got a nest or young to guard. 
After a search conducted with great care, we 
found the cause of her solicitude. A brood 
of ducklings (waddling little mites, which 
would not or could not venture far into the 
deep, but popped in and out amongst the 
runs, or took short quick paddles close to 
the shore), led us a wild goose chase in order 
to get even a glimpse of them ! Now scared 
and flapping wildly round and round the 
to have been ascertained. Ted had found a moorhen’s 
nest up the Thames, containing eighteen eggs. 
