190 THE ANGLER'S BIRDS. 



more drainage, with a little more pheasant 

 preserving, and the Marsh Harrier in company 

 with the bittern will exist only in museum cases. 



The first time I saw the bird, he was sitting 

 motionless on a small mound in an open part 

 of the swamp. It was a dull forenoon with a 

 suspicion of mist across the marshes. I took 

 it at first to be a huge pigeon, but managed 

 to get so close that its identification was certain, 

 apart from the opinion of others who had seen 

 the bird on previous occasions. As it rose, 

 and beat away, it looked very large, its fan 

 shaped tail being a distinguishing feature. It 

 is very probable that a single pair of Marsh 

 Harriers continue to frequent the estuary ; and, 

 I only hope, manage to breed there. 



On the second occasion, I was walking up 

 the ditches with a dog who was doing his best 

 to turn something out of the rushes. Some 

 distance behind him a large grey bird was 

 beating along in his track, but it suddenly 

 dropped to the ground behind a tall stack of 

 dry rushes and never reappeared. I have no 

 doubt it was my friend or his mate. 



THE WAGTAILS. 



THE PIED WAGTAIL. Of the three species 

 which are most commonly seen while fishing,, 

 the pied wagtail is almost too familiar to 

 describe. Although migratory birds, they are 

 found, at any rate in the South of England 

 all the year round. As the wagtails are 

 insect feeders they may be taken as a good 



