BIRDS. 45 



killed, but it felt so soft, and kept turning its 

 head quite round to look at me in such a 

 pathetic way, that I was obliged to take pity 

 on it. 



Another time, just as I got near my favourite 

 wood, I saw myriads of little birds evidently in 

 a state of great excitement ; so I crept softly 

 quite close to them, and found that a swarm of 

 ants had just got their wings, and the birds were 

 pursuing them in the air and eating them as 

 fast as they could cntch them. They very sel- 

 dom missed their aim, but when they did, the 

 impetus of their flight carried them a long way 

 beyond the object aimed at, and I could not 

 help being reminded of the description of the 

 old game of Quintain. Many of the birds were 

 on the ground fast picking up the ants whose 

 wings had fallen off. It was a pretty sight, and 

 as I remained quite motionless, the little things 

 went on with their breakfast as if I had not 

 been there. 



None of the birds seem very timid. Wood- 

 peckers will continue their tapping whilst I am 



