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phragmitis), and the more finished notes of the reed- 

 warbler (8. strepera) are heard from the dense coverts, 

 and occasionally one is seen as it flits over the stream, or 

 climbs the reeds to commence its song; when, scared 

 by our presence, it drops again to the ground. At 

 intervals, also, the black-headed bunting, leaving for 

 awhile the neighbouring marshes, utters its coarse and 

 peculiar notes from the reeds as well ; the rich black 

 head and russet coat of the male, with its pure white 

 collar, forming a marked contrast to the verdant back- 

 ground. 



Quietly and stealthily, with no splashing oars, let 

 us now take a peep where the next reed bed ends, and a 

 wider channel bounds the further side hush! not a 

 word, and stoop low as if a "coil" of teal were just 

 <e marked down" now look! Scattered over the open 

 water, within thirty yards, five or six water-hens are 

 swimming about, jerking their heads in their own 

 funny way, with every motion of their paddling feet, 

 and with tails well elevated above the water, showing 

 the pure white of their under coverts. Still further on a 

 pair of coots, with sooty plumage and white foreheads, 

 are lazily crossing to the other shore, and several, partly 

 hidden by the sedges, are picking their way along the 

 treacherous " hove." Ah ! even now they have either 

 heard or winded us, see how the water-hens are getting 

 together. There go the coots, splash, splash, scuttle, 

 scuttle, into the depths of the reeds, and dip, dip, dip, 

 go the feet of the others, now fairly alarmed, as they 

 hurry along to the same retreat. But what is that 

 smaller bird just sprung from the sedges in the general 

 " stampede," which dropped again like a woodcock into 

 the thickest cover? That was a water-rail, with its 

 long curved bill, of which many are bred in these 

 impenetrable swamps, but rarely is it possible, with 

 even a well-trained dog, to obtain a shot in such places, 



