324 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 



sure he is not taken by surprise by any danger. 

 Should he notice anything, his head is round the tree 

 in a second. 



Mr. W. H. Hudson says this species finds safety 

 from its enemies by cHnging to the trunks of trees 

 rather than by taking the wing. One of the 

 specimens in the case was got when I was staying 

 with my friend Hampson, at his Shooting- Lodge in 

 Shropshire, not far from Hopton Heath. We put 

 the bird up and shot it on the moor one day when 

 we were after Grouse. The other two were obtained 

 during my stay one winter at Arthog Hall Hotel, 

 near Barmouth. I was told the " Old Fort," which 

 was surrounded by a lot of fine old timber on the 

 mountain side, was a noted place for them, and that by 

 going up there and concealing myself I should soon 

 get a shot. Well, it all seems so easy — doesn't it ? 

 — but when you particularly want a thing I generally 

 find the reverse to be the case. 



I should think I paid fully half a dozen visits to that 

 * Old Fort,' sometimes sitting amongst the boulders 

 of rock for three hours at a stretch. At last the 

 eventful day came, I had waited a long time even 

 on this occasion, the first time the bird came he 

 settled on the trunk of a tree, so close to me that 

 I couldn't possibly have a shot at him without 

 destroying him as a specimen. It amused me very 

 much to see his antics going up the trunk, 

 bobbinof his head from side to side to be assured 

 all was well ; he soon flew away, however, to some 

 trees farther off in the wood, but returned eventually 



