OVER THE BROADS AND SWAMPS. 201 



he and the SEDGE WARBLER make this district 

 melodious with their incessant warblings. And 

 then from early dawn to the twilight hour the 

 CUCKOO in the spring and early summer shouts 

 his name to the marshy wilderness, and may be 

 seen flying from one pollard willow - tree to 

 another, often in chase of his mate, or the centre 

 of a crowd of mobbing, angry small birds. The 

 REED BUNTING and the SKYLARK will also be 

 there, the latter soaring to the clouds with wild 

 enchanting song, distributing a shower of tuneful 

 music throughout the blue dome of heaven, and far 

 and wide across the wilderness of swampy meadow 

 around us. Vying with him in song flights if not 

 in song are the SNIPES, here, there, and every- 

 where rising and falling, bleating and trilling their 

 love music to their mates on the marshes below. 

 The LAPWINGS are common enough, and may 

 be seen tossing themselves about the air, utterly 

 regardless of all laws of gravity, and sure sign 

 that some danger threatens. The crake-crake of 

 the LAND RAIL, now loud and near, now low and 

 far, is at times the most persistent bird note here. 

 MOORHENS and COOTS swim to and fro in all the 

 reed and rush-fringed pools; they are everywhere, 

 giving the touch of life to still, clear waters and 

 grassy banks, whilst half-tame SWANS ornament 

 the larger pools and slow-running rivers with 

 their snow-white grace. Several species of 

 DUCKS may from time to time be seen we have 

 noted them in detail in our ramble by lakes and 

 streams swimming in and out of the thickets, 

 or rocking up and down on the open meres, far 

 out from shore, where the summer breeze plays 

 across the unsheltered surface. 



