248 THE BIEDS OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE. 



which is no sooner perceived than with a few vigorous pecks it is brought 

 to the surface, and either devoured there or taken home to wife and 

 family ; while under a neighbouring laurel bush you hear a tap, tap, tap, 

 which is nothing less than a clever Blackbird cracking the shell of a snail 

 upon a convenient stone. These stones are continually resorted to, and I 

 have often seen quite a pile of shells cracked to pieces in this way.* The 

 Fieldfare, Redwing, and Missel Thrush are common enough during most 

 winters, while that beautiful bird with the white collar, the Ring Ouzel, 

 is sometimes seen, and I once found its nest near a pond at Toadsmoor. 

 The little Dipper, or Water Ouzel has occurred once to my knowledge at 

 Brimscombe. 



Of the Sylviadse, or Wood-bird kind, we have nineteen ; viz., Hedge 

 Sparrow, Robin, Redstart, Blackstart, Stonechat, Whinchat, Fallowchat 

 or Wheatear, Grasshopper Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Wren, 

 Nightingale, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, 

 Wood Wren, Willow Wren, Chiff-chaff, and Gold-crested Wren. The 

 first and second are known to everyone. The Blackstart, which is a 

 very rare bird indeed, was shot while flying with some Stonechats some- 

 time ago. The Redstart, Stonechat, and Whinchat are common, and I 

 seldom cross the common without seeing a pair or two of Wheatears. A 

 noise like a grasshopper, only much exaggerated, puzzled the good folks 

 round where I live a good deal. One said it was a Nightingale, another 

 a Landrail, while a third declared it was a Toad. We ultimately 

 discovered that a Grasshopper Warbler had its nest there, and was 

 singing an evening lullaby to its sitting mate. It is a very shy, and also 

 a very rare bird. The incessant warble of those two exceedingly pretty 

 and interesting little birds, the Sedge and Reed Warbler, is to be heard 

 at most ponds where rushes grow thickly. The male bird perches on a 

 twig, near where its mate is carefully going through the trying period of 

 incubation, and keeps up a ceaseless and very pretty warble both night 

 and day. Anyone who has seen these little birds cannot but be charmed 

 both with their pretty, yellow plumage and pleasing song. The 

 Nightingale I have heard in a thicket near Mr. Fawke's farm at the 

 Clay Pits, also in the park wood above the Thrupp, where a nest with 

 four eggs was shamefully robbed last spring. The rambler among our 

 woods often hears the Blackcap's warble ; and all the remaining seven are 

 fairly plentiful. The little Gold-crested Wren, the smallest of our 

 English birds, is often seen running along the branches of trees in search 

 of food. 



We can boast no less than six of the Paridse or Titmouse kind. 

 Everybody knows the Tom Tit, at least every gardener does, as it some- 

 times plays sad havoc, but in my opinion it does infinitely more good by 

 clearing the trees of insects. It puts itself in the most curious attitudes 

 in its search for food, often hanging by one leg to a twig. The Blue Tit 

 is as common and as useful, and they are generally found not far off each 

 other. The Cole Tit and Marsh Tit are sometimes seen, but the latter 

 must rank among our rare birds, as must also the Bearded Tit. The 



♦This I have since found out to be wrong. It is the Thrush and not the Black- 

 bird.— E.E.E. 



