i8 IN BIRD-LAND 



The bird's bright eyes, being like two jet black 

 beads, are fixed intently on us ; our eyes meet, 

 but are turned aside for a moment, and this gives 

 our little bird an opportunity to rise unobserved. 

 Then presently a sound like tek tek tek, is 

 heard behind, and looking back we see the hen 

 asking us, as plainly as can be done in Blackcap 

 language, to go away. Her mate, meanwhile, 

 seeming to be less concerned, sings on from a bush 

 hard by. After peeping into the nest, with its 

 four well-marked eggs, we replace the branches 

 and retire to another part of the wood, much to the 

 satisfaction of the owners of the family home. 



The Garden-Warbler's song might be mistaken 

 for the Blackcap's ; but the former may be known 

 by not being so long in duration, and, although 

 not lacking in richness, it is also a little 

 quicker. 



The Garden- Warbler has always been a favourite 

 little wood-friend of mine, the chief reason I think 

 being because it is so tame. Early on a May 

 morning I was out with my camera, and came on 

 a Garden-Warbler's nest in a gooseberry bush, the 

 hen sitting on the eggs. As I wanted a photograph, 

 I moved aside a branch in front, and this caused 

 the bird to rise, apparently a little frightened. But 

 if scared, this saucy little warbler did not show any 



