64 BIRD BIOGRAPHIES 



two hours but she did not return, and 

 although I spent another day in trying 

 to get some more photographs of her, 

 I was not able to do so. 



I built a hiding place near one of the 

 other nests, a shelter that harmonized 

 exactly with the surroundings, and I 

 tried to get pictures here, but was 

 not successful. I could not understand 

 the Geese at this nest. They both 

 returned almost to the nest, but the 

 hen just sat on the ground, picked up 

 small pieces of grass and placed these 

 around her breast, just as if she was on 

 her nest, and there she sat for four solid 

 hours, while her mate stood by her side. 

 A few days later I tried this nest again, 

 and when I reached it with the keeper we 

 found that it contained three fine young 

 Goslings, and the fourth was just leav- 

 ing its shell. I thought that here was 

 a great chance to secure photographs, 

 for she would surely soon return to her 



