186 THE ANGLER'S BIRDS. 



THE ANGLER'S BIRDS. 



BIRDS OF THE ESTUARY SUMMER MIGRANTS- 

 WINTER VISITORS AN OUTDOOR NATURALIST, 



E'en in the spring and playtime of the year 

 That calls the unwonted villager abroad 

 With all her little ones, a sportive train 

 To gather kingcups in the yellow mead 

 And prank their hair with daisies. 



COWPER. 



AS it is almost impossible for anyone to 

 take up trout fishing without noticing 

 the birds that haunt rivers, swamps, and 

 estuaries, I have transcribed the following notes 

 relating to those which anyone may hope to 

 see after a few seasons' observation, either 

 during his summer sport with rod and creel, 

 or his winter walks with dog and friend. 



It need hardly be said that when speaking of 

 birds'-nesting, one does not mean the robbing 

 of nests. Any careful person, who wishes to 

 take a specimen egg for a collection, naturally 

 prides himself upon being able to do so without 

 causing the bird to desert; while should he even 

 want the nest itself he can wait until the parents 

 have placed it in the agents' hands. 



Some few birds an angler is not only certain 

 to see, but is liable to catch. The swallow, 



