UNPUBLISHED FRAGMENT 279 



may make themselves scarce from under the 

 beech-trees on our appearance. Several Black- 

 birds are certain to be there and make off with 

 a loud chatter, whilst Robin Redbreast and 

 Hedge Sparrow carry on their search for food 

 without troubling their righteous minds about 

 us. Before reaching the river, at perhaps two 

 hundred yards from the house, we shall, if we 

 keep our eyes open, notice Nuthatches, a Tree- 

 creeper or two, many Tits of at least three 

 species, and very probably a Little Spotted 

 Woodpecker, all employed in a close examination 

 of the branches and twigs of the grove of high 

 trees under which we pass on our way to the 

 boathouse island, which is connected with the 

 mainland by a wooden footbridge over a back- 

 water. Two or three Waterhens, and probably 

 a " Jenny " Wren, will be about the mouth of a 

 small drain near this bridge, and a lovely Grey 

 Wagtail may be there in company. By the way, 

 I would ask my ornithological friends why we 

 should persist in giving the above name to this 

 pretty bird, whose most striking colour is bright 

 sulphur yellow when in full dress? "Yellow" 

 has been very properly applied as a distinctive 



