166 ANIMAL LIFE UNDER WATER 



familiarity to grow up between the particular 

 specimen under consideration and the observer. 

 This is a drawback, because the attitudes and 

 habits caused by natural fear of a wild animal 

 cannot be watched. I have, therefore, en- 

 deavoured to remain concealed as far as possible 

 during my observations. One of the best 

 methods of obtaining this concealment is to 

 make a home for the specimen to be observed 

 in an empty observation pond, and watch it 

 through the glass of the chamber. Under these 

 conditions, with the lid of the chamber closed, 

 the observer is neither heard nor smelt. 



In some instances it has been necessary to 

 tame the subject in order to obtain some particu- 

 lar photographic record — e.g. the colour plates 

 of the water-hen shown in the introductory 

 chapter. This bird became so tame that it would 

 come off the water as soon a& I appeared and 

 demand food. It required a considerable 

 amount of exertion upon the part of my man 

 to drive her under the water when I wished to 

 demonstrate her subaqueous flight. This is 

 illustrated on the plate opposite, 



A water-hen propels itself under the water 

 in two ways. The bird usually makes three or 



