OF THE MARSH 203 



It remains to be seen what will become of our 

 numerous Reed-buntings, who nest here in the reed 

 and weed-grown ditches, with an occasional Sedge- 

 warbler for neighbour, and with their kinsmen, 

 the Yellow and Corn-buntings, who are regular 

 occupants of the nearer fields and hedgerows, within 

 easy call. Everywhere they have been flitting and 

 hovering before the inexorable bill-hook, with that 

 peculiar depression of the tail during flight which 

 gives the Buntings such a broken-backed appearance. 

 But, as I try to think, this reed-shearing will probably 

 be but the shaving of Esau, who must be flayed 

 outright if one would put him from his birthright. 

 For Dame Nature favours no usurping Jacob, but 

 sticks grimly to her first-born. 



A fugitive Canary, with his greenfinch ''Tweet!" 

 and twitter, was a three days wonder on the stripped 

 marsh at this time. He seemed unable to use a 

 a natural perch, preferring with his educated taste 

 the coping of a sluice-hole, the rim of a broken 

 bucket, or other artificial foothold. 



The Fiend scythed and burnt out the high growth 

 in the dryer parts of the marsh, and Missel- thrushes 

 came down in unusual force to the roast, whatever it 

 may have been. Then the ploughing went on apace, 

 until only a central strip, running the length of the 

 marsh, remained untouched. That will cost him 

 some thought. At one part it is like a little foreshore, 

 with a thin, cracked mud-crust. Bubbles form slowly 

 in the cracks, and burst continually with a sound 

 resembling the beat of sandhoppers on the beach. 

 A retriever would not hesitate to spring upon it for 

 a winged bird, but would vanish without a yelp. 



