164 WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 



birds look for the insects : and this room generally 

 abounded with cut flowers. Entering it suddenly one 

 day, a tomtit flew from side to side in great agitation, 

 and then dropped on the floor and allowed me to pick 

 it up without an effort to escape. The bird had 

 swooned from fright, and was quite helpless the eyes 

 closed. On being placed outside the window, in five 

 minutes it came to itself and flew off feebly. In this 

 way birds may frequently become a prey to cats and 

 hawks when to all appearance they might easily 

 escape, becoming so overwhelmed with alarm as to 

 lose the power of motion. 



The robin is a most pugnacious creature. He will 

 fight furiously with a rival ; in fact, he never misses 

 an opportunity of fighting. But he always chooses 

 the very early morning for these encounters, and so 

 escapes suspicion, except, of course, from people who 

 rise early too. It is even said that the young cock 

 robins, when they are full grown, turn round on their 

 Own parents and fight with them vigorously. Neither 

 is he a favourite with the upper class of cottagers 

 for there is an " upper ten " even among cottagers 

 who have large fruit-gardens. In these they grow 

 quantities of currants for preserving purposes. The 

 robin is accused of being a terrible thief of currants, 

 and meets with scant mercy. 



Sometimes while walking slowly along the foot- 

 path in a lane with hedges each side, a robin will dart 

 out of the hawthorn and pick up a worm or grub 

 almost under your feet ; then in his alarm at your 



