WILD WINGS: A FAREWELL 299 



of peewits are in a meadow and a flock of starlings ap- 

 pear, after wheeling about as if undecided for a few 

 moments, they almost invariably drop down where the 

 peewits are and feed in their company. If rooks or 

 fieldfares come they too join the others. Even where 

 there are only large birds on the spot, geese or shel- 

 drakes for example, any small birds that come to the 

 place, starlings, thrushes, larks, will alight among or 

 alongside of them. They will appear to know each 

 other, and if no relations they are friends and in- 

 timates — geese, ducks, rooks, daws, crows, peewits, 

 thrushes of all kinds, larks, pipits, and wagtails ; also 

 curlews, redshanks and other small shore birds during 

 the intervals when they leave the sea. On these 

 meadows herons and gulls are also included in the 

 company. You cannot watch one of these gatherings 

 for long without witnessing many little incidents that 

 have nothing to do with the business in hand — the 

 search for small seeds hidden on the surface and 

 for grubs beneath it lying among the fibrous roots 

 of grass. It is an important matter, and it takes a long 

 time to get a satisfactory meal when each morsel or 

 half-mouthful has to be searched for in a separate 

 place ; but it does not take up their whole attention ; 

 there is always some sort of byplay going on, en- 

 counters friendly or hostile between two birds, mis- 

 chievous pranks and ebullitions of fun. The playful 

 spirit is universal among them ; even the solemn 

 gaunt heron, that stick of a bird, is capable of it ; I was 

 delighted one day to witness three of these birds that 



