CONTENTS vii 



CHAPTER VII 



PAGES 



SHEPHERDS AND WHEATEARS .... 126-141 



The shepherd's altered condition His loss of the wheat- 

 ear harvest The passion for wheatears Arrival of the birds 

 on the downs " Our ortolan " Coops The wheatear's habits 

 Sensitiveness to rain Hurdis and the " pence of ransom " 

 A great dame collecting wheatears John Dudeney's recollec- 

 tions Shepherd's cease taking wheatears Probable reason 

 How the birds are now obtained Bird-catchers, poulterers, 

 and farmers The law must be enforced Lark-eating. 



CHAPTER VIII 

 SILENCE AND MUSIC 142-166 



The art of music Natural music Sussex voices A 

 pretty girl with a musical voice Singing of the peasants 

 Dr. Burton on Sussex singing Primitive singing A shep- 

 herdess and her cries The Sussex sheep-dog's temper Silence 

 of the hills Bird music of the downs Common bunting 

 Linnet Stonechat Whinchat The distance which sound 

 travels Experience with tramps Singing of skylarks 

 Effects which cannot be expressed. 



CHAPTER IX 

 SUMMER HEAT . .;. , :' W ; >^v^ ^ ;:; . v ; ^ ; . 167-183 



When the downs are most enjoyable July in the wooded 

 lowland The bliss of summer Children's delight in heat 

 Misery of cold Piers Plowman Langland's philosophy The 

 happiest man in Sussex A protection from the sun Heat 

 not oppressive on the hills Birds on Mount Harry^ A cup of 

 cold water Drawing water in a hat Advantages of a tweed 

 hat An unsympathetic woman Beauty of kindness. 



CHAPTER X 



SWALLOWS AND CHURCHES . V- < i>-^^ . 184-204 



Abundance of swallows in downland villages The 

 swallows' bat-like faculty Old house at Ditchling Church 



