STRAY NATURE-NOTES 269 



of turnip-leaves mixed with several flat flinty stones 

 about the size of a sixpence. The base of the feathers 

 on the breast and back were, according to the descrip- 

 tion, of a beautiful rose-colour. Mr. Gatcombe was 

 an excellent authority on birds, and a frequent and 

 valued correspondent of Mr. Morris's. 



It was impossible for my father to live for any 

 length of time in a place without noticing some- 

 thing of the bird-life of the district. This is abun- 

 dantly exemplified with regard to every parish where 

 his lot, as a clergyman, was cast. Indeed, the fore- 

 going pages will have given some proof of this. It 

 nearly always happened that any unusual occur- 

 rence he observed in this way was carefully noted 

 down. 



The spring of 1868 was remarkable at Nunburn- 

 holme for the scarcity of birds. In the previous 

 year some score pairs of Martins built under the 

 eaves of the church. This year not a single nest 

 was seen, and only a bird at rare intervals. A pair 

 or two of Swallows, which used to build about the 

 place, did not appear on this occasion. Even the 

 Sparrows, generally so numerous, were only repre- 

 sented by two or three pairs. " In short," wrote the 

 Rector, "out of the twenty-five species of birds 

 which have been in the habit of building in the 

 gardens and grounds immediately adjoining this 

 Rectory house about twenty of them regularly I 

 cannot make out more than four or five, if so many, 

 that have done so this year namely, the Black-Cap, 

 the Mistletoe Thrush, the Starling, and the Sparrow. 



