AN ARCADIAN CALENDAR 



" in shadiest covert hid," the woodlark and the sedge- 

 warbler, described as " a sweet polyglot, but hurrying." 

 In other lists reference is made to the way the grass- 

 hopper-warbler " chirps all night," to the stone cur- 

 lew's loud, nocturnal whistle, and the crooning song of 

 the nightjar in the night watches. The calling of the 

 cuckoo at night perhaps would not be included among 

 songs ; the wailing of peewits or the croaking of corn- 

 crakes; but it is remarkable that the sage of Selborne 

 omitted skylarks from his list, since they sing long 

 before dawn. 



LAPWINGS are vigilant birds, and will wail and fly all 

 through a moonlight night. Wood-pigeons 

 Birds that will croon through the night-watches ; 

 Never house-martins in their nests in high sum- 

 Sleep mer keep up a prolonged warbling, as if they 



can ill-brook the tedious hours when wings 

 must be folded. But the palm for sleeplessness perhaps 

 goes to our winter visitor, the Brent goose. Ducks tuck 

 their heads in their wings to sleep, as London citizens 

 well know, from watching their good-night rituals on 

 the margin of the Serpentine. The Brent never seems 

 to sleep at all is seen to be awake when viewed by day 

 at sea, and is heard to be noisy all night. He may ask, 

 with Philomel and Milton, " What hath night to do 

 with sleep ? " 



THE jay is on sentry-duty all day at this season. He is 

 never more vociferous than when he is 

 The courting, and woods ring with his raucous 



Sentry cries, if primrosing trespassers pass his way. 

 Jay It is one of the harshest cries in nature that 



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