2 SUMMER 



The mood of summer is quite another thing than we 

 have known in spring. Birds and mammals share in the 

 mood with men. Those ecstatic dashes of flight over wide 

 seas are passed. The colours that relit the winter feathers 

 have remained brilliant ; and the body and being of the 

 animal feels none of the unrest of growth. It is true that 

 the old birds fall to the work of feeding the young with an 



YOUNG WHITETHROATS 



energy that is almost the energy of migration ; but the 

 mood of all animals is in general static. The flight quite 

 alters. Before summer is over the old blackbirds will hardly 

 take the trouble to top the hedge when you pass them. The 

 pigeons no longer clap their noisy wings behind them. The 

 mothering birds that before showed nervousness of excite- 

 ment are now among the lurkers, slipping out of sight, not 

 dashing away on a tumult of wings. The noisy flocks that 

 challenged observation are split up into secret pairs. You 

 will have some ado to find where hares are lurking ; and the 



