NUTTY AUTUMN 129 



or on the slanting ropes or guys which hold up the 

 masts of the rickcloths over the still unfinished corn- 

 ricks. They gather in rows on the ridges of the tiles, 

 and wisely take counsel of each other. Rooks are up 

 at the acorns ; they take them from the bough, while 

 the pheasants come underneath and pick up those that 

 have fallen. 



The partridge coveys are more numerous and larger 

 than they have been for several seasons, and though 

 shooting has now been practised for more than a fort- 

 night, as many as twelve and seventeen are still to be 

 counted together. They have more cover than usual at 

 this season, not only because the harvest is still about, 

 but because where cut the stubble is so full of weeds 

 that when crouching they are hidden. In some fields 

 the weeds are so thick that even a pheasant can hide. 



South of London the harvest commenced in the last 

 week of July. The stubble that was first cut still re- 

 mains unploughed ; it is difficult to find a fresh furrow, 

 and I have only once or twice heard the quick strong 

 puffing of the steam-plough. While the wheat was in 

 shock it was a sight to see the wood-pigeons at it. 

 Flocks of hundreds came perching on the sheaves, and 

 visiting the same field day after day. The sparrows have 

 never had such a feast of grain as this year. Whole 

 corners of wheatfields they work more at corners 

 were cleared out as clean by them as if the wheat had 

 been threshed as it stood. 



The sunshine of the autumn afternoons is faintly 

 tawny, and the long grass by the wayside takes from it 

 a tawny undertone. Some other colour than the green 

 of each separate blade, if gathered, lies among the 

 bunches, a little, perhaps like the hue of the narrow 

 pointed leaves of the reeds. It is caught only for a 



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