THE HEN-HARRIER 367 



to breed in the Fen-lands of East Anglia until the 

 reclaiming of marsh lands drove it away. As to this 

 I may be allowed to quote again here from an old ballad 

 written before the fens were drained, it gives the feeling 

 of the fen-dwellers of that day. 



4< Come brethren of the water, and let us all assemble, 

 To treat upon this matter which makes us quake and 



tremble ; 



For we shall rue it, if it be true that fens be undertaken, 

 And where we feed on fen and reed, they'll feed both 



beef and bacon. 



The feathered fowl have wings, to fly to other nations, 

 But we have no such things to help our transportation ; 

 We must give place oh, grievous case to horned 



beast and cattle, 

 Except that we can all agree to drive them out to 



battle." 



"As a gamekeeper once said to me," says 'A Son 

 of the Marshes,' "The sooner them big 'uns is 

 gone or done for the better; there's nothin' but a 

 chow-row from morning to night. Our head 'un says 

 they must be knocked over, and the guv'nor he's 

 got the same tale. They can't git at 'em no more than 

 we. It ain't so much what they ketches, tho' they tries 

 hard at it, as what they frightens off the fields ; it spiles 

 the shootin'. Them 'ere damned great things hovers 

 an' swishes after the birds till at last the coveys makes 

 for the hedgerows an' you has to git 'em out as if you 

 Avas beatin' for cocks. We ain't had none o' them 'ere 

 blue an' ring-tailed hawks- harriers 'bout here lately. 



