SOME FEATHERED BUILDERS 13 



from the others and come in over the tree tops, 

 to feed on the still wooded swamp belt. Stand- 

 ing back in the track, only a few feet above, 

 hidden by the tree trunks, if you hold straight 

 and keep cool you will get something. It is 

 keeping cool that pays. 



Splash splash splash splash, herik crik 

 crik crik herik thresh thresh thresh 

 spatter spatter. Splash. We slip round some 

 sallow clumps that fringe a small pool. Some 

 creature is there, for the water is ruffled ; not 

 ten feet away it boils up, and something like 

 the back-fin of a great fish shows for one 

 moment. We fancy for the moment that we 

 are going to see one of those monster carp, 

 that tradition says live in "sum o' them 'ere 

 holes," when up comes half of a bird's wing, 

 only to go under again. The water bubbles 

 and heaves, and up shoot a couple of coots, 

 gripping each other by the breast. Then over 

 they go on their sides, like fighting cats ; one 

 wing of each bird striking away in fine order, 

 the water flying in all directions. All at once 

 they let go, turn round and paddle to the edge 

 of the small pool, and face each other with 

 plumes up and lowered necks. With a paddling 

 rush that makes the water fly, they go for each 



