OUR FIRST LANDINGS 43 



cheweekT, ki-kT-ki kee kee ' — and he sings it con amove, 

 from any little mound. 



And we came on a fine playing place of the ruff. In 

 the Cromwell Road Museum is a glass case in which the 

 scene is capitally represented — for a drama of silent life. 

 I think it is really one of the most astonishing perform- 

 ances, more striking by far than the blackcock's lekking, 

 because the bird is so small and so grotesque in appear- 

 ance. And though they are reducible to some dozen 

 types or so, there are never two exactly alike. How- 

 ever, we have done our best to drive them from their 

 homes in England, and have succeeded far too well. 



We saw many pairs of grey plover, and much to my 

 surprise, either none of golden, or but one pair about 

 which I was doubtful. 



A pair of large waders flew wildly off. I thought 

 them godwits, but was not sure. 



Long-tailed ducks were exceedingly abundant — every 

 little pool holding its pair. A duck brought in by 

 Hyland contained a fully formed e.gg. 



King eider, too, were numerous — I shot a pair. The 

 duck had not been sitting-. On one of the lakes I 

 saw one pair of scaup, which rose and flew off, the 

 drake croaking like a crow. Also that day we had the 

 passage with the swans, which, if I detail it according to 

 my purpose at the end of the book, will there be found 

 by those who get so far. And the grouse we found also, 

 which will be the subject of some comment later on. 



