144 Among the Birds in Noi'thern Shires. 



hoarded and left as a monument to their many years 

 of industry a cart-load or more of nest materials. 

 We have noticed the same thing in Rooks' nests, 

 piles of sticks a yard high or more, yet never occu- 

 pied season after season, until blown out by winter 

 gales or filched by other members of the community. 

 The grand old timber here is also attractive to the 

 Stock Dove; and whilst we are examining the homes 

 of the Jackdaws and the Starlings, a Stock Dove 

 every now and then dashes with impetuous haste 

 out of the holes and crannies. Rarest of all, we may 

 sometimes stumble across the home of the Tawny 

 Owl. The keeper in this particular part of the 

 forest takes good care that Owls shall not live in it 

 in peace, nevertheless a fair number contrive to elude 

 him. He had also tales to tell of Hawks (possibly 

 Hobbys and Buzzards) that formerly bred round 

 about his special beats, but "none of late years". 

 More interested was he in the Wild Ducks and 

 Woodcocks that nested up and down the forest, and 

 much information he was disposed to impart con- 

 cerning the latter birds (about which he had several 

 theories of his own) as we used to sit in his wood- 

 surrounded cottage and quaff his home-brewed ale, 

 which he was never tired of assurino^ us would never 

 produce any evil or intoxicating effects. Then after 

 our chat and refreshment he would be prevailed 

 upon to wander out into the woodlands, after first 



