THROUGH WILD EUROPE 163 



or frog should approach it. Ardea alba, on the 

 contrary, stalked rapidly hither and thither, never 

 stopping still but always in motion, snapping quickly 

 to right and left as it went, at small fry, aquatic 

 insects and suchlike, while Ardea garzetta, the 

 Little Egret, fairly ran through the water, using its 

 wings to help it along when it saw anything likely 

 to escape at a little distance, in its eagerness to 

 secure it. 



Ardea alba had been described to me as an 

 awkward-looking bird, and certainly some of its 

 postures are ungainly ; but at other times, especially 

 when, with neck arched ready for the stroke, and 

 uplifted foot, it advances deliberately through the 

 water, it is the perfection of grace and beauty, 

 while its snowy plumage adds much to its appear- 

 ance, whether seen against a background of reeds 

 or willows, or wading in water with dark reflections. 

 The dorsal plumes hang over the tail, giving it a 

 Crane-like look, so that I could find some excuse for 

 their being called ' White Cranes ' in a book on 

 Albania and Scutari which I have lately read. 



At this point Djouraschkovitch, who had been in 

 a ' blue funk ' all the time we had been in Scutari, 

 positively refused to stop there any longer. Never 

 again, he said, would he put foot inside this place, 

 not even if I gave him £5 a day* And as I had 

 given up by now all hope of doing any more 



