34? Some Account of Walton Hall, 



villany. It may be truly asserted of the beautiful woodpecker, 

 that he is never seen to alight on a tree, unless it be in a 

 state of decay : in that condition, the decayed wood abounding 

 in insects, which are rapidly hastening its final decomposition, 

 the woodpecker is attracted to it to prey upon them, and 

 pick them out from the rotten wood. While a tree is sound, 

 he is, we firmly believe, never seen to settle upon it. 



Though the park has not been above two or three years 

 quite enclosed by high walls, its complete privacy and 

 security have attracted a small family of herons to form a 

 colony on some of the aged oaks that overhang the lake : 

 this year there have been four nests, all of which have been 

 hatched, and some able-bodied youngsters have been sent out 

 to swell the rising population of the heronry. The herons 

 repay their kind landlord's assiduous care of them by de- 

 stroying numbers of the water-rat, that infests all our waters, 

 and even houses. 



Being on the verge of that range of country which the 

 nightingale visits in its annual migrations, Walton Park has 

 generally the enjoyment of the mellifluous notes of one or two 

 of these heavenly musicians, who, each 



" in his evening bow'r, 



Makes woodland echoes ring. 



And sings the drowsy day to rest." 



When the season of the sere and yellow leaf draws on, the 

 migratory birds, all knowing the moment when to forsake for 

 a time their loved homes, flock into Walton Park, as a place 

 of refuge after their long voyage. Among this assemblage 

 are seen the woodcock, the fieldfare with its inseparable dear 

 fellow traveller the redstart, and several others, emigrants 

 from distant lands. Such are a few of the daily and occa- 

 sional inhabitants of the woods and groves of Walton Park. 



Notwithstanding several pairs of wood pigeons breed in the 

 confines of the park, when winter sets in, immense numbers 

 flock in to feed on the beech mast. These appear to have 

 come from foreign countries. 



If the land birds of all kinds and dispositions receive an 

 invitation, and find a true friend in Mr. Waterton, no less so 

 do the water birds ; and that most beautiful of all the British 

 birds, the kingfisher, which may be considered as the link 

 which unites these two classes together. 



The lake, abounding in a variety of fish, which we have 

 described as encircling the hall of Walton, is the continual 

 and occasional resort of many of our waterfowl. The wild 

 duck, the wigeon, the teal, the coot, are seen on its pleasant 

 waters in great numbers. The wild duck is a continual 



