102 THE BIRDS OF TERBICK HOUSE. 



time as the Grreenfinch, but it is much less generally dispersed over this part 

 of the country than that bird, it having favoui-ite localities to which it anually 

 resorts. Large furze commons are most in favour with this species as breed- 

 ing places, where, if search be made, very many nests may be discovered 

 within a few yards of each other. They are more or less gregarious through- 

 out the entire year. Immense flocks are to be met with during the autumn, 

 winter, and the early part- of spring, when they do good service to the cause 

 of agriculture, by consuming, in large quantities, the seeds of the common 

 Charlock, {Sinapis arvensis,) the warm and moderately pungent taste of which 

 they seem greatly to relish. His Grace of Norfolk once, in evil hour, fancied 

 he had discovered an article which only required strong and earnest recom- 

 mendation, to become a favourite and a principal ingredient in the diet of 

 the labouring classes. Now t6 encourage the foreigner by the introduction 

 of a foreign article, to the prejudice of the home grower, is universally held 

 to be bad policy ; pit}' it is therefore that his Grace's attention had not been 

 directed to that spontaneous production of our own native soil, the common 

 Charlock ; he would unquestionably have found the prepared seeds of this 

 plant almost, if not quite, as stimulating, equally nutritious, and as well 

 suited in most respects to the purpose intended, as his favourite curry pow- 

 der; and could he have succeeded in overcoming the prejudices of the 

 labouring classes, and prevailed upon them to give the preference to his 

 stimulating diet, he might justly havo been considered — what each Protec- 

 tionist candidate for the honour of representing a favourite county in 

 Parliament, on the eve of a general election always took care, in the palmy 

 days of protection, to i^roclaim himself — " the real friend of the farmer," if 

 not that of the poor man. 



The notes of the Linnet are lively and agreeable when given as a solo, but 

 when hundreds of voices are heard in concert, the effect is peculiarly pleas- 

 ing. It is one of those glorious days which, to quote the Rev. Gilbert White, 

 " no season but the autumn produces, — cloudless, calm, serene, and worthy 

 of the south of France itself." The sun diifuses a cheering warmth without 

 causing an oppressive feeling ; a bluish haze hangs around the horizon and 

 upon the svimmits of the distant hills ; 



" Slow through the air 

 Gossamer floats, or stretch'd from blade to blade 

 The wavy network whitens all the fields;" 



the scenery too is of that gorgeous character, " which no season but the 

 autumn produces." Ten thousand varied tints the leaves display, — green, 

 gold, red, purple, brown ; every imaginable shade of each meets the admir- 

 ing eye. Here the bright red fruit of the hawthorn and the wild rose may 

 be seen in great abundance, adorning like coral beads, the hedgerow, and 

 holding out a cheering promise of support to the feathered tribes when 

 stern winter has set in, and more substantial fare is denied them. There, in 



