228 SKETCHES OF BIRD LIFE. 



liath/ ruminating with my eye fixed unconsciously 

 on the ground, at the dry leafy foot of a cluster of 

 those tall slender birches which, at that time, formed 

 one of the most beautiful features of the terrace ; 

 as my thoughts became less intense, and the mind 

 had exhausted its action upon the subject by which 

 it had been abstracted, the eye grew more sensible, 

 and I was aware of another large black eye which 

 was fixed upon mine from the bed of brown leaves 

 before me. I could distinguish no form, no colour 

 distinct from them ; in fact, the leaves seemed to 

 look at me. I approached nearer and nearer, but 

 could discover nothing but the large, round, dark 

 eye fixed intently upon mine. I was at a loss what 

 to think : if the eye closed, I felt that there would 

 be nothing left to prove that what I then saw was 

 one of the clearest and most intelligent eyes I had 

 ever beheld, when suddenly the little, round, light- 

 brown head of a young Woodcock peeped out from 

 what now became visible as the back of its mother, 

 whose eye it was which had caused me so much 

 astonishment. The little head disappeared again, 

 and immediately afterwards the diminutive bird 

 came out from the feathers of the old one's breast, 



