236 RIVERSIDE LETTERS xxx 



have a great abundance. I have drawn out, 

 at times, lengths of six or seven feet of this 

 grass from yew hedges and shrubs, amongst 

 which it had grown up ; it does not seem to 

 mind meeting with no earth in which to root 

 itself during its upward growth, but stretches 

 up and up towards the light. Sometimes, as 

 in the case of some lavender bushes I have, 

 it spreads itself so thickly amongst the 

 branches as to nearly choke the shrub. 



About a fortnight ago we saw a solitary 

 gull, a small one with a white head (I will not 

 venture on a name this time) hawking over 

 the river, near Mougewell. We watched it 

 flying up and down for some time, until 

 suddenly a carrion crow flew after it, seeming 

 bent on either killing it or driving it away. 

 It attacked the gull persistently, and though 

 the latter flew swiftly and easily, apparently 

 taking little heed of its enemy, I was anxious 

 about it ; the crow seemed to fly quite as 

 quickly, and made repeated dabs at it with its 

 beak, so, when they were both rather near 



