66 BRITISH BIRDS. 



to this particular bird is that she did hatch off her brood, 

 because both Mr. Farren and I so subjected her to the 

 ordeal by camera that I do not know how long we kept 

 her from the nest between us, but I can answer for three 

 hours on June 16th and again on the 21st. But on June 

 27th two of the seven eggs showed signs of breaking, 

 and early on the morning of the 28th I went again, 

 hoping to find the chicks out and to secure a photograph 

 of them before they slipped away. However, the 

 female was still brooding, but over five eggs only. Her 

 whole attitude showed intense nervous excitement, 

 which apparently had nothing to do with the proximity 

 of my camera. Almost as soon as I was ready for her 

 the bird came running back to the nest ; not with 

 doubtful hesitancy, as on previous occasions, but with 

 an entirely self-absorbed business-like air. During the 

 whole of the first two hours while I watched she 

 incessantly uttered a curious purring noise, exactly like 

 the sound a contented happy squirrel makes when it 

 comes to be petted. This sound seemed to be ventral, 

 and not guttural, for there was absolutely no movement 

 of the throat, only a continuous slight jerking of the tail. 

 Whether running to the nest or brooding this " purring " 

 was unceasing, except when now and again she gave 

 forth the usual " sharming " call note, which her mate 

 would respond to, either by " sharming " or " groaning " 

 whenever he came near ; the male bird also " purred." 

 Twice he fed the hen on the nest, but from behind, so 

 that owing to the thick tangle of reeds, I was unable to 

 secure a photograph of the two together. I also heard 

 a faint " cheep, cheep," which led me to suppose he had 

 with him the first newly-hatched chick, though I did not 

 actually see it. Once the male changed places with the 

 female and settled down to brood, but the sharp rattle 

 of my shutter drove him away. I should not have 

 known any difference between the two birds had not 

 they changed places under my eye, when, by a closer 

 observation of the male, I noticed that his bill was 



