46 BIRDS AND MAN 



I turned my eyes in the direction of the sound and 

 saw five birds on a sHght eminence nearly in the 

 centre of a small green field, surrounded by a low 

 thorn hedge. They had come to that spot to roost ; 

 the calling bird was standing erect, and for some 

 time he continued to call at intervals after the others 

 had settled down at a distance of one or two yards 

 apart. All at once, while I stood watching the birds 

 there was a rustling sound in the hedge, and out of 

 it burst two buck rabbits engaged in a frantic run- 

 ning fight. For some time they kept near the hedge, 

 but fighting rabbits seldom continue long on one 

 spot ; they are incessantly on the move, although 

 their movements are chiefly round and round now 

 one way — flight and pursuit — then, like lightning, 

 the foremost rabbit doubles back and there is a 

 collision, bitings, and rolling over and over together, 

 and in an instant they are up again, wide apart, 

 racing like mad. Gradually they went farther and 

 farther from the hedge ; and at length chance took 

 them to the very spot on which the partridges had 

 settled, and there for three or four minutes the duel 

 went on. But the birds refused to be turned out 

 of their quarters. The bird that had called still 

 remained standing, expectant, with raised head, 

 as if watching for the appearance of some loiterer, 



