BIRD- WA TCHING 173 



and not very unpleasant smell, and it 

 seems to quite overpower the human 

 scent as far as the birds are concerned. It 

 is as well, however, not to wear clothes 

 that one might wear when visiting friends, 

 for the smell will attach itself to you 

 for days, especially if you spend many 

 hours in your scented tent, and if you 

 should walk through the streets of a 

 crowded town you might attract some little 

 attention! It is one of the most fascinat- 

 ing things I know of, to be in hiding 

 near the nest of a rare and beautiful bird 

 without it knowing you are near. I once 

 spent over six hours in the company of 

 that rare bird the Black-throated Diver. 

 I was only ten feet away, and all the time 

 the bird was perfectly natural in its move- 

 ments, and it was one of the most delight- 

 ful times I ever spent in bird-watching. 

 The small birds, however, those which 

 we find nesting near our homes, are very 

 interesting, and some of the very prettiest 



