ISO NATURE NEAR LONDON 



it in pairs. As one was sweeping round another came to 

 him. As one sailed straight on a second closely followed. 

 After one had dived the other soon followed, or waited 

 till he had come up and rejoined him. They danced 

 and played in couples as if they were paired already. 

 Some left the main body and steered right away from 

 their friends, but turned and came back, and in about 

 half-an-hour they all descended and settled in the oak 

 from which they had risen. A loud cawing and jack- 

 juck-jucking accompanied this sally. 



The same day it could be noticed how the shadows of 

 the elms cast by the bright sunshine on the grass, which 

 is singularly fresh and green this autumn, had a velvety 

 appearance. The dark shadow on the fresh green looked 

 soft as velvet. The waters of the brook had become 

 darker now ; they flowed smooth, and at the brink re- 

 flected a yellow spray of horse-chestnut. The sunshine 

 made the greenfinches call, the chaffinches utter their 

 notes, and a few thrushes sing ; but the latter were soon 

 silenced by frosts in the early morning, which turned the 

 fern to so deep a reddish brown as to approach copper. 



At the beginning of October a herd of cows and a 

 small flock of sheep were turned into the clover field to 

 eat off the last crop, the preceding crops having been 

 mown. There were two or more magpies among the 

 sheep every day : magpies, starlings, rooks, crows, and 

 wagtails follow sheep about. The clover this year seems 

 to have been the best crop, though in the district alluded 

 to it has not been without an enemy. Early in July, 

 after the first crop had been mown a short time, there 

 came up a few dull yellowish-looking stalks among it. 

 These increased so much that one field became yellowish 

 all over, the stalks overtopped the clover, and overcame 

 its green. 



