82 BIRD LIFE IN A WESTERN VALLEY 



and fell about the moss-grown stones and among 

 the hollows of the alder-roots. Everywhere 

 beside the path the sword-shaped leaves of the 

 wild hyacinth were standing erect above the 

 rich brown soil, the iris flags were lengthening, 

 the anemones were blooming, and the earliest 

 buds of the daffodil were beginning to assume 

 the pendulous position in which they open their 

 yellow cups. As the only dense shadows in the 

 woods were beneath a clump of fir-trees near 

 the brook, I seated myself on the dry brown 

 " needles " carpeting the grass, where I found 

 that I could command a view of the brook and 

 of the slope on either side ; and where, if silent 

 and motionless, I should probably remain unseen 

 by the wild creatures on whose haunts I tres- 

 passed. 



I had not long taken up my position in the 

 shadows before a little wood-mouse stole out 

 from his burrow under the dry oak leaves at the 

 edge of the glade, and passed on his journey 

 quite close to my feet. At any other time I 

 might have thought that the timid mouse, 

 continually persecuted and therefore ever sus- 

 picious of the presence of a possible enemy, had 

 thus unwittingly paid a compliment to my know- 

 ledge of wild life ; but now the breath of spring 

 was in the wood, and the mouse, intent on court- 

 ship, had probably rid himself of his haunting 



