162 AMONGST THE WOODLAND BIRDS— 
there was a pond to which the birds could 
resort, and whither the cattle from a grazing 
herd came when thirsty. Besides this, the 
little brook before mentioned betrayed its pre- 
sence now and then where not hidden by the 
greenery. Thrushes and blackbirds as usual 
favoured the hedges chiefly, and we found 
many of their nests. The woodpigeons pre- 
ferred higher positions in trees, and here again 
we noticed several of their nests half finished. 
Perhaps one of the reasons why these birds, 
as well as blackbirds, thrushes and wrens, do 
not complete their nests is that they are 
interfered with by egg hunters. From traces 
we found some one had already been that 
way, and more than once. We _ looked 
carefully for a nest of a chiffchaff, which so 
likes brambles and grass in which to build, 
but found only one. It contained six fledg- 
lings. As we sat quietly eating our lunch 
a small brownish bird slyly crept about 
amongst some twigs ten feet away from us. 
It was the mother chiffchaff with food for 
her young. At last she crept noiselessly down 
