226 IN BIRD-LAND 



of matted reeds, one would be up to the knees 

 in black water, which also gradually oozed through 

 the reeds, thus making it a more than damp coign 

 of observation. 



I went to this place one morning with a comrade 

 hoping to take photographs of the sitting bird ; 

 but as there was room for one only on the stand 

 we utilised, we agreed to watch in turn of about an 

 hour each, if, indeed, the bird did not return sooner, 

 the other, meanwhile, having to remain within 

 call a few yards off in the punt. It fell to my lot 

 to take that first turn, so I had to remain patient 

 and hopeful in the little boat with the temperature 

 at 80 in the shade which, by the way, could not 

 be found on the open water. I had been musing 

 for some minutes, and then a slight rustling in the 

 reeds, near at hand, was heard, and on peering 

 through the stems, a cock Bearded Tit could be 

 seen moving about and making way towards the 

 centre of the clump. There it remained, and as 

 the rustling ceased, I concluded that a Bearded 

 Tit must have built there, and on moving the reeds 

 gently aside with an oar, my conjecture proved to 

 be correct, for there was a nest containing four 

 eggs. I brought up the punt alongside, and found 

 that by placing the camera on a stool, used as 

 a seat, the lens would be raised just about the right 



