BIRD NOTES 



CHAPTEE VII 



September 9, 1884. 



FLOCKS of chiffclmffs in the garden for two or 

 three days, to the great annoyance of the robins 

 and the great amusement of J. M. H. The pretty 

 little, graceful, playful things seem to pay no 

 attention to anything but the insects and each 

 other : they have a delight in motion evidently. I 

 saw one balancing itself on the overarching top of 

 a stalk of maize, and I wondered how much it 

 might weigh. 



Yesterday I went down to the river to sketch, 

 and saw four or five of those lovely grey wagtails, 

 darting from point to point, or flickering over the 

 pools like magnificent butterflies. Some seemed 

 less brilliantly yellow beneath : were they young, 

 or females ? 



One little robin still haunts the nest in the ivy. 

 It seems of a retiring disposition, but is very 

 sociable. It almost always comes out from under 

 the asparagus or some other covert when I begin 

 to garden, and sits close to me, gurgling a little 

 low song in its throat, so soft you can hardly hear 



