THE FAERY YEAR 



"There was an association and friendship between 

 them that called our attention to their actions : one 

 of them seemed ailing or feeble from some bodily 

 accident ; for though it hopped about, yet it 

 appeared unable to obtain sufficiency of food ; its 

 companion, an active, sprightly bird, would frequently 

 bring it worms or bruised snails, when they mutually 

 partook of the banquet ; and the ailing bird would 

 wait patiently, understand the actions, expect the 

 assistance of the other and advance from his asylum 

 upon its approach." This was continued for some 

 days, but after a time the naturalist missed the 

 fostered bird, which he thought may have died, or, 

 by reason of its weakness, met with some fatal 

 accident. Young song thrushes of the first brood 

 in the season will help their parents to rear those 

 of the second brood. This may have been the 

 explanation of what Knapp saw. 



On the Sea Steep 



It is in the sense of spaciousness well within 

 grasp of the thought and the eye that the steep 

 by the sea yields more to us than any other place. 

 There are spots in plenty on the English chalk 

 downs and heathery heights which command far 

 greater distances. They show spire beyond spire 

 in the elms, oak wood above oak wood, landscape 

 on landscape in bird's-eye and miniature, the bloom 

 of purple wearing off in the end to a film of grey. 

 1 06 



