How a New Water Witch Came 

 to the Marsh 



15 



* — ' ♦ AUGUST HAD COME, THE MONTH OF 



activity which caused me to spend more time in the canoe 

 than I really had to spare. I paddled through the canal for 

 the tenth time in as many days. Then I poled quietly through 

 the lily pads and toward the floating nest which I had been 

 keeping under observation. My canoe almost touched it be- 

 fore a dark bird slipped off the pile and disappeared instantly 

 and noiselessly under the water among the lilies. I looked 

 at the nest. Yesterday it had contained six eggs. Now there 

 were only five. Was this to be the day? Was I to witness the 

 hatching that I had taken so much pains to prepare for? 



For ten days I had inspected the nest of this small diving 

 bird called the pied-billed grebe, a resident which could 

 easily be identified by its dumpy brown body, almost total 

 lack of tail, and its snake-like head. I wanted to watch the 

 emergence and behavior of the young chicks. I knew there 

 was little possibility of being present when the great event 

 began, but I thought that if I made repeated visits until the 

 first egg had hatched I could then remain at the nest until 

 at least one of the other eggs opened. Nothing had hap- 

 pened until this Sunday morning. But now the slimy floating 



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