274 The New Forest : its History and its Scenery. 



picking up the twigs of heather and flying off with them to 

 line their great platforms of nests ; and then sailing down to 

 the Blackwater stream, in the " bottom " close by, to fish. In 

 the morning and evening, and, in fact, all through the day, one 

 incessant clamour was going on, and under the trees lay great 

 eels, which had fallen from their nests. 



Last year the numbers were greatly decreased, the birds 

 having been, perhaj^s, driven away by the woodcutters and 

 charcoal-burners employed to cut down the surrounding timber. 

 The sketch which stands at the head of this chapter was taken 

 in June — too late in the year to show any of the nests, but 

 several young birds were still hovering round who had not 

 even then quite quitted. A small colony has, too, established 

 itself at ]l3oldrewood, where I trust it will be protected; for 

 few birds possess so much character, and give so much beauty 

 to the landscape. 



Before we conclude, let us glance at some other peculiarities 

 of the Forest district, and its effects on its birds. It is not 

 too far westward for the east winds to bring the hoopoe, so 

 common in Sussex. Throughout the summer of 1861, a pair 

 were constantly flying about and hopping on the " Lawn " near 

 Wilverley Forest Lodge. The black redstart {Sylvia titliys) 

 and the fire-crest {Regulus ignicapillus) just skim its borders 

 in their westerly winter migrations. Small flocks of dotterel 

 make it their halting spot for a few days in spring, on their 

 way to their northern breeding-places. In the winter, its mild- 

 ness brings numbers of siskins, some few bramblings, and the 

 common and even the parrot crossbill, escaping from the frosts 

 of the north. 



Other things may be mentioned. The hawfinches do not 

 stay all the year round, as might be expected, or, at least, only 



274 



