2i8 BIRD WATCHING 



these phenomena, and, coming one day upon such a 

 heap of chaff or draff — though without any stack — 

 in the centre of a small plantation of fir and pine 

 trees, I determined to watch here, a number of small 

 birds having flown up as I approached. I was able 

 to conceal myself very well amidst some bushes that 

 grew quite near, and very shortly the birds — chaf- 

 finches, bramblings, hedge and tree - sparrows, etc., 

 but not greenfinches — were down again. I stayed a 

 considerable while, but, except once or twice when 

 I moved a little so as to alarm them, they remained 

 feeding all or most of the time. Sometimes, indeed, 

 some or other of them would fly into the surrounding 

 trees or bushes, but this they did at their leisure, 

 without alarm or hurry, and only as desiring a change. 

 The simultaneousness was wanting — there were none 

 of those nervous flights at short intervals that I had 

 observed when watching at the open corn-stacks. 

 Here, amongst the pines, and protected on every side, 

 the birds felt, apparently, quite secure, though whether 

 it was altogether a rational security may be ques- 

 tioned. This observation strengthened me in my 

 conclusion as to these flights being caused by a feeling 

 of nervous apprehension or alarm, but I am bound 

 to add (another case of the mouse) that I subse- 

 quently watched by stacks in the open, where, also, 

 a considerable sense of security seemed to prevail. 

 Temperature may perhaps have something to do 

 with the explanation, but I have as yet taken no 

 steps to test this theory. 



But whatever may be the motive (which, of course, 

 may vary) of such sudden flights — and here I am 

 thinking of all the examples which I have brought 



