30 Oxford: Autumn and Winter. 



of a Creeper, searching the crannies for insects, 

 and even breaking down the crust of weathered 

 stone. Among memories of the rain, mist, and 

 hard work of many an Oxford winter spent 

 among these gray walls, " haec olim meminisse 

 juvabit." 



But I have strayed away from Christchurch 

 Meadow and the Botanic Garden. Here it is 

 more especially that the Thrush tribe makes its 

 presence felt throughout the autumn. In the 

 Gardens the thrushes and blackbirds have become 

 so tame from constant quiet and protection, that, 

 like the donkeys at Athens of which Plato tells 

 us, they will hardly deign to move out of your 

 way. A blackbird proceeded calmly to take his 

 bath, in the fountain at the lower end near the 

 meadow, one morning when I was looking on, 

 and seemed to be fully aware of the fact that 

 there was a locked gate between us. Missel- 

 thrushes are also to be seen here ; and all these 

 birds go out of a morning to breakfast on a 

 thickly-berried thorn-bush at the Cherwell end 

 of the Broad Walk, where they meet with their 

 relations the Redwings, and now and then with 



