THROUGH WILD EUROPE 185 



never in forest districts, where it is quite out of 

 place. It is very bold, and will approach shooters 

 in the most impudent manner. Even if fired at 

 and missed it will come again within shot directly 

 afterwards ; and it is curious how easy it is to 

 miss a Marsh Harrier. Its vulnerable surface is, 

 I suppose, small in comparison with its imposing 

 spread of wing, which makes it look very much 

 larger than it really is. During the nesting season 

 they devour immense quantities of eggs and young 

 birds. I have seen them, when picked up after 

 being shot, so full of yolk and white of eggs that it 

 has dribbled out of their beaks. But after the breed- 

 ing season I am convinced that they do a certain 

 amount of good by catching rats, mice, and other 

 destructive rodents, and also probably a certain 

 proportion of beetles, locusts and large insects. 



The harsh note of the Great Reed Warbler was 

 as usual in such places a very conspicuous feature, 

 and slung between the upright stalks of the reeds 

 were several nests. It is always a very late breeder. 

 I had left it on the Montenegrin and Albanian 

 frontier in May, not having yet commenced nesting 

 operations. Here some of the eggs were incu- 

 bated, but others we found quite fresh. They seem 

 to wait until the reeds are grown to their full 

 height before they begin to build their beautiful 

 and interesting nests. ( I have noticed the same thing 



