THE RUFF AND REEVE. 239 



the sedge, and wove and shaped the pliant flags to 

 receive its olive -brown eggs. Redshanks flew in 

 clouds, and filled the air with their noisy cries, 

 while the loud whistle of the Godwit often told the 

 fowler where the long-legged, black-tailed bird had 

 formed its nest. On the " meres," the beautiful 

 Crested Grebe displayed its coloured frill and white 

 satiny breast, while its smaller relative, the Dab- 

 chick, like a little brown ball, ducked and dived 

 and reappeared in the uninterrupted enjoyment of 

 its retirement. The wary Water -rail threaded its 

 way through the grass and reeds and sedge, or 

 rose with slowly flapping wing, and pitched among 

 the yellow water-lilies, to pick the little beetles off 

 the petals. 



The ear heard, although the eye could not always 

 see, the skulking Grasshopper Warbler, as it crept 

 amongst the reed stems with its curious reeling 



.;s 



note : and a patient search was necessary to find 

 its well -concealed and pretty nest at the foot of 

 some waving tussock. Occasionally, the nest of 

 the rarer Savi's Warbler was discovered ; a beauti- 

 ful cup-shaped structure, made entirely of the inter- 

 woven leaves of the reed, and containing beautiful 



