X REMARKABLE MAY SNOW-STORM. . 201 



sight of the fair flowers, and trees bursting into vernal beauty, as if eager to 

 outgrow and efface, by their luxuriance, the temporary check that vegetation 

 had sustained. 



It was truly the union of the hopefulness of spring with the ravages of 

 winter, emblematic of human life, with its smiles and tears, its mingled sor- 

 rows and joys. But while the evils arising from causes man cannot control 

 are many and grievous, those arising from his own misguided passions are 

 more numerous and fearful. It was therefore, satisfactory, to see such a 

 testimony against the greatest of these evils — the drinking customs — exhibited 

 by the assembly of that day. Views of this nature were impressed at the 

 meeting, summoned at the trumpet call and the exhilarating music of the 

 fine accompanying band. The healthful open air sports, the range of the 

 noble park, generously opened to all willing to avail themselves of the privilege 

 allowed by the worthy owner, F. V. Wentworth, Esq., the sight of the 

 pleasant gardens, and well stored picture gallery, were objects far worthier to 

 occupy their well-won leisure, than the debasing excitement of ^'the house 

 with the picture hung over the door," wide open at these times to lure the 

 unwary and dissolute. 



I had a little leisure to search for rare birds; the Nuthatch abounded in 

 the pleasure grounds. The Pied Flycatcher was yet invisible, as on my last 

 visit; the late cold, changeful weather may have retarded its arrival in this 

 its only haunt in our neighbourhood. Beyond the temple, I saw some boys 

 pelting what they call Jinties, one of their names for the Jenny Wren. I soon 

 perceived that they were the Tree Creepers, running busily around the boles 

 of the huge oaks. I let the lads see them through the telescope, the amuse- 

 ment of which softened down their persecuting instinct into a sort of admiration 

 of these tiny interesting creatures. The gamekeeper, who supplied me with 

 some eggs of Daws and other birds, had reserved for me the eggs of what 

 he called the Blue Hawk, which he, with the fatal antipathy of his profession, 

 had shot on the nest, but not captured. Comparing them with Morris's 

 coloured Plates, I ascertained at once that they belonged to the Sparrow-hawk, 

 the blue tint on the back of the male bird gaining it the above title. It 

 could be no other bird, as the Blue Hawk — the Hen Harrier, setting aside the 

 colour of the eggs, would not have been found there, it having become, with 

 many more of its doomed race, extinct in this country, owing to the rapacity 

 of scientific collectors, and the undying hate of game protectors. 



This keeper maintains that the Kestrel preys on birds as well as mice; he 

 is backed out by others of his class, one of whom states that he has seen 

 the Kestrel devouring a Partridge : unless the Merlin or Hobby, both of which 

 occur, though rarely, in this part, has been mistaken for this bird, the 

 statement is at variance with the views of most writers. I lean to the book 

 opinion, that with respect to destroying game, this Hawk is as harmless as 

 it is handsome. We have also the testimony of that most observing field 

 naturalist, Waterton, as to its harmlessness and utility to the farmer and 



VOL. III. 2 D 



