EYES AND NO EYES 37 
pointed out that the thing might be done once too 
often. 
In search of birds that frequent salt water and the 
shores, I have never failed to find some of the various 
species ; quite sufficient indeed to satisfy me. The plan 
of proceeding is a very simple one ; certain birds at 
various seasons spring, summer, autumn, and winter 
frequent particular localities. By knowing these, 
and going direct to the places, you will find your bird 
or birds, and no valuable time will be lost in searching. 
Fashionable watering-places, however, had better have 
a wide berth given them. 
The attitudes that some large birds place them- 
selves in would protect them in comparatively open 
places. Unless one had seen it, one would hardly 
give the raptores credit for this ; but they practise it 
to perfection. This class of birds has been my 
favourite study from boyhood, and I shall never be 
able to finish the study, for something fresh is con- 
tinually coming before me. 
The eagle, for one, places himself in strange posi- 
tions, a mere bundled up bunch of feathers to look at. 
A friend of mine who recently visited Achill Island, 
the island of the eagle, was on the cliffs with his wife 
and some other friends, when the lady saw in a cleft 
of the rocks close to her what she thought was a 
