ASSISTED VISION 291 



for rough weather on the west coast, where the 

 normal wind-shift in areas of depression is generally 

 easy to mark. The disturbance ended in a snow- 

 storm, and this morning is beautifully bright, with 

 a dead calm. Such a commotion as we have had in 

 the atmosphere, always has a marked effect on the 

 local distribution of birds, and there is evidence of 

 this to-day in the population of our lake. Before 

 the gale, there were plenty of mallard, teal, tufted 

 duck, pochards, and widgeon, with a solitary pair of 

 shovellers, which arrived early in the autumn. This 

 morning six more shovellers have arrived, and a 

 dozen golden-eyes, including two male birds in 

 splendid plumage. Of the widgeon only two pairs 

 remain; the rest are probably sunning themselves 

 in the bay. 



xc 



A new joy has been added to field studies, so 

 perfect as to exceed the most extra- ^gig^a 

 vagant expectations. Everybody must Vlsion 

 have found the ordinary binocular unsatisfactory; 

 both eye-pieces have to be adjusted to the same 

 focus, and few people have eyes of even approxi- 

 mately equal power. Most sportsmen, therefore, 

 adhere to the single spy-glass, which is excellent, no 



