BIRDS. 47 



springtime, morning after morning, by 4.30 a.m. 

 Men who do not rise early miss much, for the 

 sweetness of many days is all unfolded in the 

 early morning, when the dewdrops are glistening 

 on the grass, and the bloom-laden hedgerows 

 are giving forth their scents ; while blackbirds, 

 thrushes, larks, chaffinches, and numerous other 

 songsters vie with each other in giving voice to 

 the joy within them. These are things we enjoy 

 over and over again and remember with pleasure^ 

 and yet by nine o'clock we are in the centre and 

 bustle of London town. 



In searching for nests of birds that build in 

 hedgerows and bushes, it is a good plan to select 

 the shady and, if possible, the lower side, as the 

 light coining through the branches and foliage will 

 greatly facilitate the discovery of any nest situated 

 therein. In examining furze, juniper, bramble, 

 heather, and low bushes, it is well to go cautiously 

 to work, and tap them on either hand with a 

 walking-stick. The rustle of a bird's wings will not 

 often escape the ears of the searcher, even if their 

 owner manages to elude his eyes. On hearing or 

 seeing a bird leave a bush, the search for its nest 

 needs to be conducted with a great deal of care, 

 for many ornithological treasures are ruined by 

 young naturalists and beginners in their eager 

 haste to find and examine them. 



The best way to discover the nests and eggs 

 of all, or nearly all, the members of the family of 



