THE STOAT AND WILLOW WREN 



he witnessed in August on the road. The dancer 

 was watched with rapt attention by a gallery of 

 house sparrows. "One moment prancing on its 

 hind legs, with its forepaws beating the air ; at the 

 next, springing up with all its feet off the ground. 

 So it skipped and frisked, apparently in lamblike 

 innocence and gaiety." Suddenly the dancer saw 

 or scented danger and was off. Then the sparrows 

 went back to the wheat. I have heard of a cat 

 drawing down a bird by the sinister charm of its 

 eye, but have never seen this done. It is marvel- 

 lous how soon a cat will have hold of a wild bird, 

 which by mischance is imprisoned in a green- or out- 

 house ; but as I have seen it the cat gets the 

 bird by a terrific bound and an absolute certainty 

 of aim. 



Raven Reminiscences 



Why did the ravens, that nested regularly in 

 Tangley Clumps within the memory of living 

 people, desert their old haunt ? The rector thinks 

 it was because their young were taken. But I have 

 heard from another man who lived in the district, 

 and well remembers the birds. One raven was 

 accidentally or wilfully shot. The other left the 

 Clumps, but returned in three days with a new 

 mate the widowhood even of birds that pair for 

 life is short. It seems the young ravens were often 



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