VILAFLOR 69 



enormous size, but none of them I believe is as large as 

 this one. The peasants, though wood is everywhere 

 abundant, have cut a large wedge-shaped block out of 

 this tree at its base, but this has been somewhat 

 atoned for now by a wall of stone having been built 

 to guard the tree. 



As we follow the path through the forest, various 

 sounds show that our movements are noticed by the 

 lawful residents of the woods. A raven " waits on " 

 us from a great height up, and so plainly does he see 

 us and know all about our movements, that he is in no 

 hurry to give his hoarse croak, a sound that travels 

 down very audibly to our ears through the clear air. 

 After all it was not exactly a warning, it was merely 

 a sort of clearing of the throat, as though he would 

 say, " Ahem ! I know you're there, you know." But 

 his nest was safe enough, and we were not on the path 

 that led to it, so he soon leaves us alone. " Not even 

 dangerous," he seems to say as he sails off, giving 

 another croak. 



A very paradise this for the Frailesco, the Tenerife 

 Blue Tit, as it flits here and there, now dumping down 

 on to a twig, ducking first to one side and then to the 

 other, with a chattering twitter, then off as soon as 

 settled to its home a hundred feet up among the 

 tangled debris near the tops of the giant pines. 



The " little friar " is an engaging bird, and one of the 

 few inhabitants of the forest that seems to give you any 

 sort of welcome. He evidently thinks you ought not to 

 be there, but being there he is content to scold you and 

 then bustle up under cover of some undergrowth to 

 examine you more closely. He has few companions of 



