W1GEON 271 



we are sure to come upon others. His master, too, 

 Lord Walsingham, as is well known, is worthy, if 

 anyone, of being lord of such a Paradise of Birds ; 

 for he is an enthusiastic naturalist, fond of every- 

 thing that lives, and has often spent the greater 

 part of the night in the open air, in the hope that 

 he may capture some rare nocturnal moth. He 

 will not, so it is said, have a keeper on his estate 

 who does not love his surroundings ; and hence 

 the amazing difference between our friend, who 

 has eyes for everything and enjoyment too, and 

 the vast majority of that purblind and murderous 

 race who, with Nature's richest treasures around 

 them, and monarchs of all they survey, observe 

 nothing, spare nothing, care for nothing, but the 

 great annual battue. He has just had a bitter 

 disappointment. The red-headed wigeon is the 

 most shy of a race of birds that are proverbially 

 shy, and has been accustomed to visit the water 

 only in the winter months, retiring to his native 

 northern climes to breed. Two years ago, his 

 master procured some female wigeon, which he 

 pin-winged, hoping that they might induce the 

 males to remain throughout the summer. The 

 plan ^succeeded for the time ; and, till a few days 

 ago, there was a fair number of both male and 



