At Home with Wild Nature 



feet away that had just hatched out two chicks, and 

 she deliberately went off and took charge of one, whilst 

 the mother looked after the other, and everybody was 

 happy but the photographer. 



In this odd manner my chances were utterly 

 defeated. 



It will be noticed in the illustration that the bird is 

 fast losing her black breeding hood. Some ornitholo- 

 gists are of opinion that she is reverting to her winter 

 plumage at an early date (June 23), whilst others think 

 she is a very old bird. 



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