36 APRIL IN BROADLAND. 



the meadows dotted with l buttercups and daisies,' and even the more barren patches 

 on the uplands sprinkled with the broad-leaved coltsfoot, from among which peered 

 the starry flowers of yellow. And then the birds ! Have they not been conspicu- 

 ous by their presence and their song? The wayside hedges and the woodland are 

 peopling rapidly with the immigrant songsters; the harsher cries of those that 

 roam this district in the barren winter are replaced now by the cheerier melodies 

 from a myriad little Southerners' throats. Bat we are anticipating. 



The wheels grind heavily at times when rumbling up and down hill, for the 

 recent rains have made the roads so soft and, in places, somewhat sloppy. Observe 

 those pied wagtails at yon roadside puddle. How oddly they flick their elongated 

 tails as they daintily run beside it. It may be there are some tiny midges gyrating 

 over the pools, which have smitten their fancy. They take to eratic wing on our 

 approach. Rooks have seriously settled to household duties. Such cawing from 

 daybreak until dusk returns is the order of the day ! surely the old elms never 

 could have had noisier tenants ! That small bright-brown birdie upon that haw- 

 thorn spray is a redstart * firetail ' the natives call him. Its plaintive wheet-iuheet ! 

 becomes a familiar sound in the woodland in the month of April. 



Our steed pulls up at a horse-pond to take a sip. We spring out of the vehicle 

 impelled by curiosity to take a peep in amongst some fern-fronds uncurling to the 

 warmth of springtime. A tiny bird has just flown out, and upon a bramble is fussily 

 uttering its quick-repeated notes. It is a chiff-chaff. See ! in the stubbly remnants 

 of last year's grasses, snugly sheltered by the fern leaves, is its nest. Six small 

 creamy -white eggs are the treasures which have become a care to the half-fright- 

 ened, over-solicitous parent. Never fear, bonnie birdie ! we touch not such precious 

 objects. The chiff-chaff suddenly darts down in the thorny hedgerow. A shadow 

 as of a larger bird glides across the horsepond. We look up, and discover the 

 greater occasion of alarm in the shape of a hovering kestrel. 



The speckled bird of prey might have had one eye upon the little percher, 

 with 'intent malicious,' but it certainly has had another upon a. venturesome 

 field-mouse in the mead beyond. Down like a stone it descends upon the hapless 

 rodent ; and as it hies away to some familiar rail stump, whereon to devour it at 

 its leisure, we can discern the wretched creature struggling in the bird's sharp 

 talons. In turn the kestrel takes to precipitate flight; its quick eye has detected 

 the approaching gamekeeper, who, silly man ! has sworn, some time or other, to 

 take away its life. Can he yet be so ignorant as to imagine this hawk is anything 

 else but one of the greatest friends of the farmer, and the rearer of our game- 

 birds? Several house-martins, conspicuous by the white upon their backs, on 



