136 AMONGST THE WOODLAND BIRDS-- 
here from the elements ; and woodlands, too, 
are generally little disturbed. Thus it was 
that Ted and I discovered many species 
during a visit to a well-wooded district close 
to London. After twenty minutes in the 
train an hour’s pleasant walk brought us to 
our objective—a long lane with which Ted had 
previously formed acquaintance. The road 
turned into woodlands almost immediately 
we left the station. Fine old trees were 
there in varied array, their foliage still of the 
tender shade of spring, and all the greener 
for much recent rain. The birds were nesting, 
of course, and in full song. One or other of 
them was heard at almost every step of the 
way throughout the whole day. 
The first species to attract our attention 
was a pair of Spotted Fly-Catchers. They 
were sitting on a fence and seemed quite 
tame (as they always are). They were evi- 
dently feeding their young, for every now 
and again they would take a quick turn into 
the air, catch an insect in their beaks, and 
disappear into a shrubbery, from which they 
