JUNE, 1881. 



a strange effect is produced by the young beech leaves. 

 Each one of these, although but lately introduced into 

 the wooded world, is perforated by numberless minute 

 holes, evidently having already paid the penalty of being 

 young and tender, like the rooks about them, and been 

 perforated by some leaf-eating insect. In vain we search 

 them with our lens, however, as all we note is the brown 

 edging of the perforations, probably the result of dead 

 tissues, as in the autumnal tints. When we note that 

 scores of magnificent trees were thus perforated as, to the 

 leaves, and each leaf drilled with numerous holes, the 

 sudden influx of enemies must have been very great. 

 We fear those trees thus attacked will not carry their 

 foliage far through the summer. The horse chestnuts 

 are th's year the finest objects in the woods. Not only 

 for number but for individual excellence the flowers are 

 notable, as they crowd the trees to the topmost boughs. 

 But why speak of one tree when every tree and bush is 

 this season hanging with bloom. The white thorns are 

 hiding leaves and wood alike ; the holly, that last year 

 was almost barren, is now strewing the pathways with its 

 delicate white stars in myriads ; the rowan is over- 

 weighted with blossom, and must be actually crushed 

 with fruit should it come to maturity. Even the 

 perforated beeches are hanging rich with blossom, and 

 never saw I promise yet of such a coming fruit season. 



Now, we might look for that nest for a week without 

 seeing it ; and yet, now that we know it, our eyes can 

 scarcely be kept from it, and it seems an absolute im- 

 possibility that we could have passed it day by day, only 

 one yard off the public highway, fully open and exposed, 

 and only trusting to the strange peculiarity of colouring 

 on the eggs. Beautifully mottled and blotched, and of 



