OCT. A WALK ALONG THE COAST. 19 



Every day too has its interest in the eyes of the 

 dweller on this coast, for the arrivals and departures 

 of different birds are unintermitting. An infinite 

 variety of wild-fowl come over from the north and 

 north-east, while our summer visitants, such as the 

 landrail, cuckoo, swallow, and most of the insect- 

 eating birds, disappear. One of my most favourite 

 walks is along the coast, beginning at the mouth of 

 the river and following the shores of the bay till I 

 reach the open firth ; then after continuing along 

 the beach for three or four miles, I return through 

 the wild uncultivated ground which divides the 

 sea-shore from the arable lands. At this season 

 the variety of birds which are to be seen in the 

 course of this walk is astonishing. Starting from 

 home soon after sunrise, with a biscuit in my 

 pocket, my gun or rifle on my arm, and my 

 constant canine companion with me, I am inde- 

 pendent for the day. Bright and bracing is 

 the autumn morning; the robin sings joyously 

 and fearlessly from the topmost twig of some 

 rose-bush as I pass through the garden, whilst 

 the thrushes and black-birds are busily employed 

 in turning up the leaves which already begin to 

 strew the walks as they search in conscious 

 security for the gray snails, repaying in kind 

 for the strawberries and cherries they have robbed 



