110 BIRD NOTES 



the lawn a good deal lately. There it was, 



gobbling up the beautiful golden petals as a rabbit 



' tucks in ' lettuce leaves ! Not content with the 



full-blown flowers, it tore the nascent buds out of 



their sheaf of leaves, and even pulled up one crocus 



by the root. Since then I have several times seen 



it feasting there, and I know it is the same bird 



; by a small white feather in one of the wings. It 



I seems an old bird, and its movements are slow ; 



! perhaps from starvation ; perhaps as I think I 



i have heard there is something narcotic in the 



; crocus. I frightened the bird away twice, but it 

 was of no use, and now all the yellow crocuses are 

 gone. It has still left the white and lilac ones, 

 and I am curious to see whether these will be 

 spared much longer. It has not come to my 

 window, although I see it at times looking up at 

 the birds feeding there. I should send it away 

 (with a blessing) if it did come, as I keep very 

 select company at my window this winter, and 

 will have nothing to do with the large birds. This 

 .is for the sake of my two tame robins, who were 

 with me all last summer, and have been here ever 

 since. I have also six blue tits, two cole tits (one 

 with a spot on her forehead, whom I call Spot), a 

 hedge-sparrow, and occasionally a nuthatch ; this 

 last, however, I do not encourage. The robins call 

 me when they want food, and sit close beside me, 



