NATURE IN APRIL. II. 67 



What a glorious view from the hillside 1 A windmill spreads 

 its canvas to the breeze in a brave competition against steam, 

 and seems to have solved the problem of perpetual motion. 

 Perchance a Kestrel or Sparrow Hawk two of the balance 

 keepers of Nature may be seen hovering on buoyant wings, 

 toying in the air, then suddenly darting down like a flash of 

 lightning upon some creature on mother earth. 



An English larch-covered bank meets the eye ; how enjoyable 

 to lazily squat on the sloping sides watching the soaring Lark 

 and the busy Rooks, the winged creatures of the earth, the 

 Bees and the Spring flowers, and to inhale the sweet aroma. 



A cluster of yellow on the right to the uninitiated might be 

 Buttercups, but the searching eye of the Naturalist proves these 

 golden evidences to be giant Daffodils. I do not know the 

 name of the writer, but the following lines exactly describe our 

 next study: 



' A privet hedge, a belt of silver poplars, part of an ivy-covered 

 wall, form the magic barrier around the rural garden against 

 the outside world, and safe in their shelter lies this little emerald 

 Isle, the perfect home of peace.' 



We further observe an English lake, across which the Moorhen 

 is proceeding, leaving behind divergent lines of silver. How 

 charmingly picturesque are the reflections and shadows cast by 

 the Weeping Willows in the pool, and how beautiful the Fir 

 trees on the right bank, with the bright green tassels on the 

 terminal branches. In an old tree by the water-side a pair 

 of Tree Creepers have evidently fixed on a nesting site. 

 Mr. Webster has given us a beautiful photograph of a pair of 

 these happy little creatures. 



The proud, haughty Swan glides gracefully along with eyes 

 and ears alert for any intruder. Woe betide anyone who 

 molests the Mute Swan, the variety which adorns our ornamental 

 sheets of water. I heard once of a wager being laid that a 

 friend would not dare to put his hand under a female bird 

 when on her nest, and take away the large dull green egg 

 from the warm seclusion she afforded it; he did so, and that 

 without any reluctance on the part of the birdl 



What pleasing customers, too, the Little Grebes are ; they are 

 better known in the country, perhaps, as Dabchicks. How artful 



