250 BIRD LIFE 



party of Rooks visited the park, and, after a short stay, 

 left in an evidently excited state. A few days later a 

 larger party appeared. They attacked and drove the 

 unfortunate Jackdaws from the nest, and then went 

 off, leaving two of their number in charge of the 

 young birds, which, as soon as they were fit for the 

 journey, were taken away and, unless in flocks with 

 others, never seen in the neighbourhood again. 



Between reason and instinct a gulf is fixed for which 

 no bridge has as yet been or is likely to be discovered. 

 But the one at times seems very near the other. In 

 ornithology, as in every other branch of the knowledge 

 of Nature and Nature's laws, the wisest is still the child 

 picking up pebbles on the beach. Since Newton's 

 apple tumbled from his tree, a few more rocks have 

 been laid bare by the receding tide. But beyond still 

 lies the ' untrodden floor ' of the ocean. 



A man may puzzle himself into headaches as much 

 as he likes in search of causes and meanings ; but in 

 the end he will find himself very little farther forward 

 than was the poet of TJie Seasons, when, in days 

 when geology was not yet in its infancy, and ' Nebular 

 theories ' and ' Darwinism ' were undreamed of, he 

 wrote, as the only possible summing up of his 

 conclusions : 



' These, as they change, Almighty Father, these 

 Are, but the varied God. . . . 

 ... I lose myself in Him in light ineffable. 

 Come then, expressive silence, muse His praise.' 



