36 OUR RARER BIRDS 



to observe, and we must wait until the moon is nearly at the 

 full before we stroll into the woods to watch the actions of 

 this interesting little bird of night. The woods at night! 

 How little does the stay-at-home naturalist know of the 

 romantic charm which creeps over the woods at dusk ! When 

 the shadows cast by the tall trees grow longer and blacker, 

 and surrounding objects lose distinctness of outline, the real 

 carnival of the woods begins. Shy and timid creatures gain 

 confidence as the darkness spreads ; the rustle of their move- 

 ments on the carpet of dead leaves and dry fern betrays their 

 whereabouts, and the soft gentle flap of broad wings amongst 

 the branches overhead informs you that the night birds are 

 also moving. The pale moon is now rising above the trees, 

 lighting up the open glades, and glinting on the stems of the 

 silver birches. Let us step a little closer into the shadow of 

 this brave old oak ; the various wild creatures around us are 

 acutely sensitive, and the least movement on our part may send 

 them bounding or flying startled away. See, the rabbits are 

 feeding in the open ; and every now and then the Nightjar 

 poises above the trees. Sounds which can only be interpreted 

 by one well skilled in the language of the woods and fields are 

 to be heard on every side. The field-mice and shrews are 

 burrowing under the dead leaves ; that louder rustling is a 

 mole ; those leaps and bounds amongst the fern are made by 

 a weasel probably following the spoor of one of the rabbits 

 gamboling yonder. Various creatures leave the hollow trees 

 amongst which we are standing. These old trees are a quiet 

 refuge for many shy and timid creatures. Bats frequent 

 them ; Starlings roost in them ; Stock Doves and Jackdaws 

 breed in them ; and they are the favourite resort of the Wood 

 Owl. 



That great oak yonder, hollow as a watch-tower, is a Wood 

 Owl's castle. We may expect the old birds every moment. 

 Hark ! that is their hoot borne softly on the night wind from 



