jS BIRDS OF THE WAVE AND WOODLAND 



" post of observation," and when full-fed and at Its ease loves 

 to bask there, and froni its elevated seat survey the proceed- 

 ings of the dwellers at meaner altitudes, upon whom it makes 

 regular forays, and who, strange to say, seem to submit to 

 this assertion of manorial rights with the minimum of protest 

 and disturbance — very much like the unfortunate villeins 

 and vassals in "the good old feudal days" of baronial 

 England. 



Ah, init-hroivn Partridges ! Ah, brilliant Pheasants ! 



Byron. 



September is, of course, by long prescription, the partridge's 

 month, and October the pheasant's, than which there are no 

 two birds probably in all England that invest a country scene 

 with a more immediate Interest and charm. In a certain 

 field through which I used often to pass in the evening, there 

 used to be near a gate a large square patch of ground upon 

 which the farmer had once stacked manure, and the hay 

 never grew on it, only a wonderful crop of chickweed and 

 plantain, with fumitory and other weeds. And every 

 evening, if I walked carefully, I could surprise the partridges 

 with their young brood busy after food on this open plot. 

 As the fancy took them, they would be alarmed by my 



