Chapter I: Preface

A preface is like the bow of an actor when he comes on the stage, or like the hand-shaking of two friends when they meet--the prelude to the entertainment, or the friendly conversation. I suppose, therefore, I must follow the fashion, and say, "How d'ye do?" in this way. I hope the answer will be, "Quite well, thank you, and much the better for seeing you."

In a book of similar character to this one, which I published a short time ago, I offered to reply to any questions which any of my young readers, who wished for further information upon any of the subjects mentioned in that book, might put to me, by means of letters addressed to me, to the care of the publishers. I then had the pleasure of answering many such letters, and I now repeat the offer to the readers of this book.

I am indebted to my friend Mr. William Whitwell, of Oxford, who is, like myself, a lover of boys, for the chapter on the "LIFE OF A FERN."

CONTENTS.

PAGE
CHAPTER I.
Greeting.--The Broad District.--Hickling Broad.--Felling a
Tree.--Dodging the Swallows.--Shooting the Crossbills.--The
Boat-house. 1

CHAPTER II.
Stuffing the Crossbills.--The proposed Yacht.--An impaled
Woodcock. 8

CHAPTER III.
A Momentous Decision. 13

CHAPTER IV.
Digging for Pupæ.--Dick Carleton.--Metamorphoses of
Butterfly. 14

CHAPTER V.
Building the Yacht.--The Launch.--Great Crested Grebe's
nest.--A floating Coot's nest.--Golden Crested Wrens.--
Their Migration.--The Flight of a Heron. 20

CHAPTER VI.
Mr. Meredith.--"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it
with thy might."--A Botanical Lecture.--The Goat
Moth.--Blowing up a Tree.--An astonished Cow.--Caterpillars
in the Wood. 31

CHAPTER VII.
A Trial Sail.--Preparing for a Cruise.--Charging a Reed
Bed.--An explosion of Birds.--The First Adventure.--
Orange-Tip Butterfly.--No Salt.--How Salt is obtained. 36

CHAPTER VIII.
An Eerie Night.--A Ghostly Apparition.--The Barn Owl.--A
Will-o'-the-Wisp.--The Ruff and Reeve.--Snaring
Ruffs.--A Nest.--Wroxham Broad.--Mud-boards and
Leaping-pole.--Wild Duck's Nest in a Tree. 43

CHAPTER IX.
Chameleon.--Light-coloured Eggs.--Sitting Birds have no
Scent.--Forget-me-nots.--Trespassing.--The Owner.--A
Chase.--Capture.--Pintail Duck.--Drumming of
Snipe.--Swallow-tail Butterfly.--A Perilous Adventure. 51

CHAPTER X.
Moonlight.--Instinct and Reason.--Death's Head Moth.--
Bittern.--Water-rail.--Quail.--Golden Plover.--Hen-Harrier
and Weasel.--Preserving Bird-skins. 63

CHAPTER XI.
To the Rescue.--A Long-tailed Tit's Nest.--A Shower of
Feathers. 75

CHAPTER XII.
Yarmouth.--The "Rows."--A Stiff Breeze.--An Exciting
Sail.--Sparrow-hawk's Nest.--A Nasty Fall.--Long-eared
Owl.--Partridge.--Sandpiper. 79

CHAPTER XIII.
A Grizzly Bear.--Gossamers.--Strike only on the Box. 88

CHAPTER XIV.
Oulton Broad.--Lateeners.--Lowestoft.--Ringed Plover's
Nest.--Oyster-catcher.--Shore-fishing.--A Perilous Sail. 92

CHAPTER XV.
Animals which never die.--A Wonderful Tip to his Tail.--
Thunderstorm.--Swan's Nest.--Bearded Tit.--Reed-wrens
and Cuckoo. 97

CHAPTER XVI.
Old School-fellows.--Tom-Tit's Nest in Boot.--Nuthatch.--
Wryneck.--Ant-hill.--Marsh-Tit.--A Comical Fix. 104

CHAPTER XVII.
The Boat-race.--Winning.--Mr. Marston.--Nightingale and
Nest.--The noise of the Nightingales. 113

CHAPTER XVIII.
A queer Umbrella.--Visit to Scoulton Gullery.--Driving
Tandem.--Running away.--Black-headed Gulls.--Collecting
the Eggs.--Carp.--Wood Argus Butterfly.--Scarlet
Pimpernel.--Grasshopper Warbler.--Chiff-Chaff.--Gall-Fly.--
Robins' Pincushions. 121

CHAPTER XIX.
Back again.--Taken in Tow.--Bobbing for Eels.--Glow-worms.--
Home.--Urticating Caterpillars. 132

CHAPTER XX.
Golden Oriole.--Landrail.--House-martins in Trouble.--
Siskin.--Peacock and Red Admiral Butterflies.--Winchat's
Nest.--Bitten by a Viper.--Viper and Snake.--Slow-worm. 137

CHAPTER XXI.
Fishing.--Jimmy's Dodge.--Bream-fishing.--Good Sport.--
Fecundity of Fish.--Balance Float.--Fish-hatching.--Edith
Rose.--A Night Sail. 149

CHAPTER XXII.
Calling for Landrails.--Landrail Shamming Death.--
Yellow-Under-wing Moth and Wasp.--Dragon-Fly and
Butterfly.--Stink-horn Fungus.--Sundew. 158

CHAPTER XXIII.
Setting Night-Lines.--An Encounter with Poachers. 161

CHAPTER XXIV.
Water Insects.--Aquaria. 165

CHAPTER XXV.
Making a Fern Case.--Ferns.--Harvest Mouse.--Mole.--
Ladybird.--Grasses. 176

CHAPTER XXVI.
The Life of a Fern. 185

CHAPTER XXVII.
On the "War-path."--Rabbit-shooting.--Flapper-shooting.--
Duck-shooting.--Wood-pigeons.--Life in an Oak-tree.--
Burying-beetles.--Lace-wing Fly.--Stag-beetle.--Hair-worm. 194

CHAPTER XXVIII.
Purple Emperor.--His taste for Carrion.--Woodpecker.--
Blue and Small Copper Butterflies.--Buff-tip Moth.--Moths
at Ivy.--Strange-looking Caterpillars. 202

CHAPTER XXIX.
How to Attract Perch.--Perch-fishing.--Pike.--Good
Sport.--Plaster Casts.--Model Eggs. 209

CHAPTER XXX.
Eel-fishing.--Setting the Nets.--Elvers.--The Merivale
Float. 214

CHAPTER XXXI.
Hawking. 220

CHAPTER XXXII.
Heron-hawking.--Great Bustard.--Stock-Dove in
Rabbit-hole.--"Dowe" Dogs.--Search for Bustard's Egg. 227

CHAPTER XXXIII.
Water-hen swallowed by Pike.--Casting-net.--Trapping
Water-hen for Bait.--A Monster Pike. 235

CHAPTER XXXIV.
Fishing on Stilts.--A Capsize.--Wild-fowl Shooting.--
A Flare-up. 239

CHAPTER XXXV.
Punt-shooting on Breydon.--A Narrow Escape. 242

CHAPTER XXXVI.
Drifted to Sea.--A Perilous Position.--Rescue. 246

CHAPTER XXXVII.
The Broad Frozen.--Skating.--Fish Frozen in Ice.--Birds
Frozen to the Ice.--Ice Ships. 249

CHAPTER XXXVIII.
The Thaw.--Cromer.--Prehistoric Remains. 251

CHAPTER XXXIX.
The Boys' Note Book. 253

CHAPTER XL.
The Regatta.--The "Waterlog's" Victory. 259