152 NATURE NEAR LONDON. 



ROUND A LONDON COPSE. 



IN October a party of wood-pigeons took up their 

 residence in the little copse which has been previously 

 mentioned. It stands in the angle formed by two 

 suburban roads, and the trees in it overshadow some 

 villa gardens. This copse has always been a favourite 

 with birds, and it is not uncommon to see a pheasant 

 about it, sometimes within gun-shot of the gardens, 

 while the call of the partridges in the evening may 

 now and then be heard from the windows. But 

 though frequently visited by wood-pigeons, they did 

 not seem to make any stay till now when this party 

 arrived. 



There were eight of them. During the day they 

 made excursions into the stubble fields, and in the 

 evening returned to roost. They remained through 

 the winter, which will be remembered as the most 

 severe for many years. Even in the sharpest frost, 

 if the sun shone out, they called to each other now 

 and then. On the first day of the year their hollow 

 cooing came from the copse at midday. 



During the deep snow which blocked the roads and 

 covered the fields almost a foot deep, they were silent, 

 but were constantly observed flying to and fro. 



