SECOND DAY. 11 
During the first half-hour we had not paid much attention 
to the scenery ; for hardly had we left Pest behind us when 
we had to satisfy our hungry stomachs, which had been quite 
out of employment since we left Vienna. But having fortified 
ourselves with a good breakfast, and lighted our first cigars, 
we began a careful observance of all the birds which showed 
themselves along the banks. At first they seemed very 
scarce, and it was not until we got among the “auen” that 
we saw the Grey Herons and Cormorants flying from their 
breeding-places for their morning fishing; while Magpies 
were fluttering about the trees by the river-side, Jackdaws 
flying cawing over the vessel, and on a dead tree near the 
left bank was sitting a pensive Roller with the sun shining on 
its splendid plumage. In front of the steamer I suddenly 
noticed three beautifully coloured ducks, which unfortunately 
would not allow us to come within a fair range, but rose 
shyly and cautiously, like all the ducks, and ignored with 
dignified calm the couple of shots fired at them. They had 
now to be entered in the note-books, but no one was quite 
sure to which of the many species of duck they belonged. 
However, we put them down as Shovellers; and this, I 
believe, they really were. 
Yesterday when in Vienna I remembered that, some years 
ago, Count Johann Zichy had kindly invited me to visit his 
celebrated heron-island, Adony; and as this seemed just 
the time to avail ourselves of his courtesy, and to make 
use of this spot for a brief shooting interlude in our journey, 
I asked permission to carry out our designs. I had long 
known the island by name, and had always heard of the 
great numbers of herons breeding on it, so was firmly con- 
vinced that we should find it rich in species; but in this last 
matter we were somewhat disappointed. 
After a run of nearly three hours we came to a large 
island, thickly wooded with tall silver poplars. None of us 
