180 BIRD-LIFE OF THE BORDERS 



out to the fell-edges, to feast on the hill-berries and the 

 abundance of caterpillars. 



The willow-wren, by August 12th, has recommenced 

 to sing" ; his song is identical with that of spring in note, 

 but feebler in depth and volume. It continues up to about 

 August 25th — after that date, one never hears it. This 

 also is the exact date at which the sandpiper, whinchat, 

 flycatchers, and most of the summer-warblers disappear. 

 Several of these, like the willow-wren, treat us for a few 

 days before their departure, to a brief and subdued 

 renewal of their spring song— a sweet farewell, confined, 

 as a rule, to the first hour or two after dawn. All, 

 as a body, have left the hill-country before the end of 

 the month. 



I omit here mention of the titlark, pied and grey wag- 

 tails, twite, and other migrants, because these continue to 

 linger on the fells till later in the year. I have shot a 

 landrail as late as October 4th, though its usual date of 

 departure is mid- September. This species is late in 

 acquiring the power of flight — that is, the young are full- 

 grown before their quills are developed. One August 

 day, while we sat at lunch on a grassy moor, a weasel, 

 hunting down the burnside, attacked something that 

 I took to be a young "grey"— as blackgame are collec- 

 tively termed. I shot the weasel and found that his 

 victim was a landrail. On hunting my setter round the 

 spot, several more landrails were discovered, evidently a 

 brood, since, though nearly full-grown, they were quite 

 unable to rise, having only the blue stumps of their future 

 quill-feathers. Yet these youngsters might have to fly 

 near 2000 miles within the next six weeks ! 



The flycatchers have already vanished by August 25th. 

 The young spotted flycatchers at this period deserve their 



