1 8 BIRDS, BEASTS, AND FISHES 



shaft left standing on the levels; they delight to perch on 

 a fork-shaft as much as does the cuckoo. And when the 

 large-sized eggs — recalling a reed-bird's — are hatched, and 

 the fledglings can fly, you again see the little families flitting 

 over the marshland feeding on the gaily enamelled grass- 

 hoppers and soft-winged moths. And in winter, though 

 most of these birds go across the seas, still a very few re- 

 main and are to be seen on the uplands. One winter I saw a 

 cock-bird amongst the yellow reeds by the Waveney; but it 

 is a very rare bird in the winter landscape. Still it is seen, 

 a fact, I believe, disputed by some naturalists. On the 

 whole, it is a quiet, simple, unobtrusive little bird, without 

 much character ; a harmless, pleasant little creature. More- 

 over, the cock, in full plumage, is a welcome spot of colour 

 in the sober-hued landscape of early spring. 



