54 



Pictures of Bird Life 



enough to proxide nesting-sites for many A\"ood-pigeons. and 

 thick enough to slielter myriads of Niglitingales and small 

 ])irds. These hedges are, however, gradually being reduced 

 and ••plashed." to the noticeable dimimition of the number 

 of birds to be seen ; and the recent introduction of sheep 

 seems to tend to dri\'e away the Xightjars, which formerly 

 nested annually among the bracken at the edge of many 



hedges bor- 

 dering on the 

 wood. 



The .Alis- 

 sel-thriish is a 

 most abimd- 

 ant species 

 t h rough out 

 the year. It 

 may be no- 

 ticed more 

 particularly 

 perhaps at the 

 end of the 



Greater Whitethroat (Syhta cinerea). 



sunmier, when great numbers of them frequent the grass- 

 fields, hopping about over the parclied turf, apparently 

 finding food of some kind — but what I have never been 

 able to discover. .\t tliis season of the year tlie ground is 

 sometimes as hard as iron, and the short turf almost ])urnt 

 up, dry, and yellow, on which these fine, bold-looking birds 

 are extremely conspicuous, and look \ery light in colour. 



