126 MUTTON BIRDS 



an instant ceasing to flick their wings, was a 

 rootlet detached from the peat and swinging 

 loose in air, low and parallel to the log. With an 

 effort that always set the loop aswinging, an 

 upright dart was then made, and a moment later, 

 from the sharper 'zee, zee, zee,' we knew that the 

 act of feeding was in progress. 



Owing to the bad light and the rapid 

 exposures required to beat the wing-flicker, all 

 photographs of this little bird failed; and the 

 single illustration is taken from the least bad 

 plate of a most iniquitous lot. 



