WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 215 



under the little finger in such a way that the rod 

 itself comes over the back of the other fingers ; it is 

 then lightly balanced, and vibrates easily. The 

 magician walks slowly over the ground selected, 

 watching the tip of the wand ; and should it bend 

 downwards without volition on his part, it is a sign 

 that water is concealed beneath the spot. 



The nuts upon the bushes do not all ripen at the 

 same time ; one or two bushes are first, and offer ripe 

 nuts before the rest have hardened sufficiently. The 

 leaves on these also drop earlier, turning a light yellow. 

 The size and even the shape of the nuts vary too, 

 some being nearly round and others roughly resembling 

 the almond. Their flavour when taken from the 

 bush is sweet, juicy, " nutty." When they will 

 " slip udd " is the proper time to gather them that is, 

 when the hood or outer green covering slips off at a 

 touch, leaving the light-brown nut in the palm : 

 it is a delicately-shaded brown. Cut off just the tip 

 of the nut the pointed keystone of its Gothic arch 

 with a penknife ; insert the blade ever so slightly, 

 and a gentle turn splits the shell and shows two onyx- 

 white hemispheres of kernel. 



With a little care the tallest boughs may be pulled 

 down uninjured ; if dragged down rudely the bough 

 will be " sprung " where it joins the stole below, and 

 will then wither and die. The plan is simply to apply 

 force by degrees, pulling the main bough only so far 

 forward as to enable the hand to reach an upper 

 branch, seizing the upper branch, and by its aid 



