202 RECREATIONS OF A NATURALIST 



profusion of water-lilies, or an alder carr, fringing 

 the water's edge, casts a grateful shade in strange 

 contrast to the surrounding glare. Everywhere 

 the rich aquatic herbage teems with bird life. 



To enjoy these unwonted surroundings to the 

 full there is no better plan than to hire a punt, and, 

 under the skilful guidance of a marsh man, explore 

 the reedy labyrinths that lead gradually from the 

 margin of the broad to the open water. Indeed, 

 this is the only mode of ensuring a glimpse of birds 

 at close quarters, for were one to adopt the 

 alternative of trying to walk round the broad, such 

 denizens as Coots, Moor-hens, and Grebes would 

 only be seen swimming at a distance, while the 

 smaller species, such as the Reed and Sedge 

 Warblers, the Bearded Tit and the Black-headed 

 Bunting, would quickly be lost to sight amongst 

 the dense shelter of reeds and rushes. The use of 

 a punt, moreover, has this advantage : it enables 

 the visitor to approach the waterfowl silently, and, 

 to a great extent, screened from their observation ; 

 for the punt is so low, the reed beds so high, and 

 the waterways so tortuous, that one may engage 

 all day in a series of stalks by water so effectively 

 as to bring one literally face to face with some of 

 the shyest creatures, that would not otherwise 

 suffer themselves to be so nearly approached. 



So admirably adapted are most birds for the 

 particular kind of country in which they can best 

 get their living that, upon a rough classification 

 into groups representing the woodland, moorland, 

 downland, fenland, and coastland, it would be com- 



