BREYDON IN SPRINGTIME 103 



reception in spite of close-season enactments and the careful 

 and almost ceaseless vigilance of the watcher. It is ever an 

 eligible addition to a " collection " whether the collector has 

 "specimens" sufficient or not, for there is always a value 

 attaching to its skin, and a " halo of conquest," so to speak, 

 which unscrupulous shooters glory in wearing. The slaughter 

 of an avocet is something more to be boasted of than the 

 shooting of a dozen woodcocks. It may be the bird has an 

 innate instinct, transmitted through generations, to visit 

 the home of its forefathers ; or, what is more likely, it is 

 borne half unwittingly hither by atmospheric causes at the 

 period of migratory flight. 



It is an experience for a naturalist to get within binocular 

 range of this avine beauty. On June I2th, 1905, a flock of 

 no less than nine put in an appearance on Breydon, and 

 I spent a most enjoyable evening in their company. At 

 7.30 p.m. on the I3th, I saw them in a compact flock on the 

 wing ; they sailed around for half a mile, and then alighted 

 in shallow water. The tide was just at the full, and in a 

 very short time they were floated off their feet entirely. 

 They swam with the buoyancy of tufted ducks, which, at a 

 distance, they greatly resembled, as they bobbed up and 

 down on the ripple with their heads drawn in. I pushed to 

 within a hundred yards of them, and distinctly saw that they 

 were swimming, one and another occasionally popping its 

 head under water, as if to reach the bottom, keeping the tail 

 perpendicular by the aid of the feet, as ducks do. A small 

 gull accompanied them, apparently much interested in their 

 movements ; and I have before noted that with the black- 

 headed gulls stray avocets have been on the most amicable 

 terms, even remaining to sleep in their company, as if 

 satisfied that their vigilance and alertness to detect any sign 

 of danger could be depended on. Even if they uttered no 

 alarm-note, the patter of their feet when running to gain 

 an impetus for flight makes sufficient sound to waken 

 them. 



My chum Dye was with me in my punt, straining his fail- 

 ing eyes to get but a glimmer of their presence ; so carefully 

 sculling up to within thirty yards of them, I put them up, 

 when they filed off in extended line, coming between the 

 setting sun and Ben, who, to his intense delight,, caught their 



