88 Summer 



contented, for neither the dark ancients nor the 

 brown youngsters attempt to fly away. Thus the 

 lounger in Hyde Park has vastly superior opportuni- 

 ties of studying the creature's habits to those of 

 naturalists living in the woods. 



And the ring-dove is only one of many wild things 

 tamed. Between the road and the close-shaven grass, 

 in the centre of the nook, is a strip of water bordered 

 with sedge and water-flowers. Rabbits, not of any of 

 the house breeds, steal forth fearlessly on the lawn 

 and amuse themselves in public. Here a doe a doe 

 with a litter of five is cropping the herbage as 

 industriously as Mr. Gladstone devours post-cards ; 

 there a few frolicsome young ones are skipping and 

 playing ; while two others (deep in love) are making 

 chase of each other with long deliberate hops, their 

 noses low and their scuts high. Elsewhere you would 

 see them at the slightest noise standing up prettily 

 on their hind legs to listen, or hear them stamping 

 with alarm ; but here the world looks on, and dogs 

 of all shapes and sizes and ferocities trot by, and the 

 little folk go about their business as if their sense of 

 fear were atrophied. So it is with the wild duck. 

 Who that has shot the delicious mallard and contrasted 

 him with his waddling brother of the farmyard could 

 imagine him bringing his agile flappers how mallard 

 do run, and how unlike running they are ! up to the 

 railings to feast on bread-crumbs from your hand ? 

 His plumage, his voice, his flight between his feeding- 



