BIRDS. 5 1 



followed in a little while by a pair of bearded tits, 

 but they did not stay long. 



My companions began to grow weary of waiting, 

 and so did the duck of our presence near her nest, 

 for she commenced to beat the water with her 

 wings in a little open channel close by in the 

 hope of attracting our attention and drawing us 

 off; but the tits were hanging about closer than 

 ever to the place where I suspected they had a 

 nest, and I persuaded the old marshmen to stay a 

 little longer. One of them crept up and covered 

 the duck's eggs with his handkerchief, and then 

 Ave remained absolutely still for a while. My 

 nearest neighbour thought he had seen one of the 

 tits go to the nest ; but he had his eye on the 

 sedge - warbler, which had gone deep down in 

 search of some insect, as I could easily make out 

 by the aid of my field-glasses. Shortly after this 

 the male reed pheasant disappeared, and the female 

 flew away. I indicated to my companions the exact 

 place where I had seen him last, and we all closed 

 in stealthily from different points of the compass. 

 When we got close up he flew off a beautiful and 

 particularly well-hidden nest, containing six eggs. 



Birds'-nesting is very much like fishing, as one 

 of its greatest charms lies in the glorious un- 

 certainty of one's luck. 



In wading amongst reeds, rushes, and other 

 aquatic vegetation on the banks of rivers, tarns, 

 and ponds, it is necessary to exercise a good deal 



