MAGPIE FIELDS 153 



known by their lesser size and by their flight, for they 

 use their wings three times to the rook's once. Numbers 

 of daws build in the knot-holes and hollows of the horse- 

 chestnut trees in Bushey Park, and in the elms of the 

 grounds of Hampton Court. 



To the left of the Diana Fountain there are a number 

 of hawthorn trees, which stand apart, and are aged like 

 those often found on village greens and commons- 

 Upon some of these hawthorns mistletoe grows, not 

 in such quantities as on the apples in Gloucester and 

 Hereford, but in small pieces. 



As late in the spring as May-day I have seen some 

 berries, then very large, on the mistletoe here. Earlier 

 in the year, when the adjoining fountain was frozen and 

 crowded with skaters, there were a number of missel- 

 thrushes in these hawthorns, but they appeared to be 

 eating the haws. At all events, they left some of the 

 mistletoe berries, which were on the plant months later. 



Just above Molesey Lock, in the meadows beside the 

 towing-path, the blue meadow geranium, or crane's-bill, 

 flowers in large bunches in the summer. It is one of 

 the most beautiful flowers of the field, and after having 

 lost sight of it for some time, to see it again seemed to 

 bring the old familiar far-away fields close to London. 

 Between Hampton Court and Kingston the towing-path 

 of the Thames is bordered by a broad green sward, suffi- 

 ciently wide to be worth mowing. One July I found a 

 man at work here in advance of the mowers, pulling up 

 yarrow plants with might and main. 



The herb grew in such quantities that it was necessary 

 to remove it first, or the hay would be too coarse. On 

 conversing with him, he said that a person came some- 

 times and took away a trap-load of yarrow ; the flowers 

 were to be boiled and mixed with cayenne pepper, as a 



