WILD LIFE AT HOME. 



had wandered. He doubtless thought that I was 

 interfering with his children, and like a plucky 

 father endeavoured to drive me away. His method 



of attack was similar to that 

 of most other birds bold 

 enough to try to frighten 



human beings away from the precincts of their off- 

 spring namely, from behind. Although I do not 

 think he ever actually touched my cap, he swooped 

 down from a tree in my rear, and passing over my 

 head with an air-cutting whirr, rose into another 

 tree in front of me. 



Even such birds as swallows, martins, and 

 swifts may sometimes be photographed at rest. 

 During our stay in Unst last June a fishing-smack 

 came into Baltasound one morning with the swift 

 represented in the picture opposite on board. 

 The poor bird had alighted in the boat's rigging 

 when eleven miles out at sea during the night, 

 and clung so tenaciously to the rope that when 



