18 THE RING OF NATURE 



for a long way in the arcades of a thicket, and 

 even in the interior of a hedge. 



The lads here have a method of catching the bull- 

 finch that is certainly sometimes successful. They 

 get it in a hedge between two parties of boys and 

 throw stones at it, just as they do at the other birds 

 desired for a pie. But a few stones crashing 

 through the twigs anywhere near a bullfinch so 

 terrifies it that it goes to the bottom of the hedge, 

 and can be picked up there apparently in a trance. 



I once caught a jay very much in the same way. 

 Getting up early I found a party of them busy 

 at the cherries, and sent after them the charge of 

 a short-barrelled gun that when a boy I was allowed 

 to use. Of course I voted one of them hit. No 

 great encouragement is ever needed for that self- 

 flattery. It flew away, settled on the outside of 

 a hedge into which it thrust its head, and there 

 stayed till I went up and pulled it out ; but I could 

 find no bodily trace of its having been hit, and I 

 kept it alive as a pet. 



At this time of year we find the deer in a part of 

 the forest that is almost impenetrable with black- 

 thorn bushes. Under these great hollow thorns the 

 air is appreciably warmer, and under anything 

 but a heavy downfall the tangled twigs would 

 furnish a good roof. It is just such a place as the 

 deer would choose for their ' yard ' if the snows 

 of northern Canada came down here ; a place they 

 could surround with beaten paths for exercise, 

 and in whose lairs they could await with patience 



