90 RIVERSIDE LETTERS XI 



flew about from tree to tree, flirting their 

 tails as if to show off the orange feathers in 

 them. One flew very close to me on to the 

 pole of the tennis-net, and from thence on to 

 the lawn to a place where I had smashed an 

 ant heap. I watched them for some time 

 with my glass from the boathouse window, 

 and saw them feeding on a low wall that 

 keeps up one of my borders, which has many 

 ants' nests about it. I made a little sketch 

 on the spot, whilst my recollection was fresh, 

 which I send you. I then consulted dear old 

 Bewick ; found out that the birds were red- 

 starts, and that they fed much on ants and 

 their eggs. Bewick scarcely gives the active 

 brisk look that the birds I saw possessed, in 

 his representation. Peter tells me that he 

 has often seen these birds in the garden, but 

 it is strange that I have never noticed them 

 before, and I do not believe that they nest 

 here, or I think that I must have noticed 

 them. I fancy possibly that they are attracted 

 by the numbers of small field ants' nests that 



