322 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



approach were old enough to leave the nest and scramble out of 

 sight amid the dense forest of reeds. Only one nest did we see 

 containing eggs, three in number, round and dirty white, splashed 

 with faint rust-coloured spots. 



The nests were large flat platforms of reeds trampled and bent 

 down, and just raised above the surface of the water. The young 

 were nearly feathered, and the short primary feathers were of a 

 jetty blackness, contrasting with their white plumRge. All the 



YOUNG SPOONBILLS ON NEST. 

 (Photographed from life hy R. B. Lodge, Enfield.) 



time we remained near the spot the old birds were flying uneasily 

 round and round, high up in the air, but without uttering a sound, 

 looking very white in the glaring sunshine against the blue sky. 



I was extremely anxious to obtain a photograph of some of 

 the old birds ; but the high wind was blowing the reeds about 

 so violently, that I had great difficulty in photographing, Jthe 

 nests and young, and in all probability any attempt to secure the 

 parent birds would have resulted in failure even if I had waited for 

 their return. This, however, as I was not alone, was out of the 

 question. I have before now waited concealed at nests for seven 

 hours to secure a photograph of the parent birds, and would 

 willingly wait still longer to secure anything out of the common, 



