The Whin-chat. 145 



way is here joined by two subsidiary lines, the 

 one coming from Chipping Norton and the other 

 from Cheltenham over the Cotswolds. Para- 

 doxical as it may seem, I do not hesitate to say 

 that this large mileage of railway within a small 

 radius acts beneficially upon our bird-life. Let 

 us see how this is. 



In the first place, both cuttings and embank- 

 ments, as soon as they are well overgrown with 

 grass, afford secure and sunny nesting-places to 

 a number of birds which build their nests on 

 the ground. The Whin-chat for example, an 

 abundant bird here every summer, gives the rail- 

 way-banks its especial patronage. The predatory 

 village-boys cannot prowl about these banks with 

 impunity except on Sundays, and even then are 

 very apt to miss a Whin-chat's nest. You may 

 see the cock-bird sitting on the telegraph wires, 

 singing his peaceful little song, but unless you 

 disturb his wife from her beautiful blue eggs you 

 are very unlikely to find them in the thickening 

 grass of May or June. And even if she is on 

 the nest, she will sit very close ; I have seen an 

 express train fly past without disturbing her, when 



