98 BIRD LIFE GLIMPSES 



which I have spoken of. It is not only their 

 playing-ground, but their feeding-ground, too, and 

 the way in which they feed is very interesting — at 

 least, I think it so. The few hawthorns and elders 

 that are scattered about, serve them as so many 

 watch-towers. Sitting, usually, on some top bough 

 of one, they seem to be resting, but really keep a 

 watch upon the ground. The moment their quick 

 eye catches anything " of the right breed " there, 

 they fly down to it, swallow it on the spot, 

 and then fly back to their station again. When 

 they have exhausted one little territory they 

 fly to a bush commanding another, and so 

 from bush to bush. They always fly down to a 

 particular spot, and in a direct line, without 

 wavering. This proves that they have seen the 

 object from where they were sitting, though often 

 it is at a distance which might make one think this 

 impossible. Their eyesight must be wonderfully 

 good, but that, of course, one would expect. I 

 have seen a cuckoo fly from one bush like this, 

 and return to it, again, eight or nine times in 

 succession, at short, though irregular, intervals. 

 Both on this and on other occasions, whenever I 

 could make out what the bird got, it was always a 

 fair-sized, reddish-coloured worm, very much like 

 those one looks for in a dung-heap, to go perch or 

 gudgeon fishing. When the bush was near I could 

 see this quite easily through the glasses, if only the 

 bird showed the worm in its bill, as it raised its 

 head. As a rule, however, it bolted it too quickly, 

 whilst it was still indistinguishable amidst the grass. 

 Now, from time to time, we have accounts of 



