AN ARCADIAN CALENDAR 



the equal of a kestrel's. It is sad, indeed, that it should 

 be on the vanishing list of our large birds of prey, for 

 there is much good work in the world for a buzzard to 

 do in keeping down rats and mice, beetles, worms, and 

 other " varmints " on which it lives, rather than on its 

 own kind. But the buzzard is mistrusted by birds as 

 well as gamekeepers, and it is a fine sight to see a rook 

 making a dashing attack on the hawk, with the air of a 

 St. George going forth against a dragon. 



FROM a fern-covered bridge spanning a Devon river 

 one may espy a hole in a bank where, for 

 Bejewelled years, kingfishers have nested. On a lucky 

 Birds day one may see six or seven fledglings, 



which have passed from their dank cradle 

 into the exquisite river scene, all perched in line on a 

 branch, awaiting their rations. With the sun glittering 

 on their iridescent feathers, it is an almost dazzling 

 picture. Hitherto they have been kept closely at home 

 by their parents on their bed of fish-bones. They 

 would run grave risks if they ventured abroad until 

 well grown, since they put on their exquisite raiment, 

 the hens being as richly arrayed as the cocks, while still 

 in the nest. 



84 



