146 A YEAR WITH NATURE. 



field, the gentle breeze tossing to and fro the shimmering 

 blades. A few Rooks lazily winging their way homewards 

 cast curious shadows on the meadows. Suddenly a Redstart 

 takes up its position on the topmost twigs, showing off with 

 evident pride its flame-coloured tail feathers. Probably in some 

 out-house or barn the nest may be found, containing seven 

 pale blue or green eggs, and how assiduously this bird attends 

 to its young! In a carpenter's shop 1 found a nest which was 

 placed on a ledge near the roof, the bird entering the building 

 through a hole which at some time or other had been made 

 for the insertion of a stove pipe. In and out the whole day 

 long the parent birds passed. A curious hissing noise is made 

 by the young. 



On buoyant wings the Tree Pipit is seen. Having reached 

 a certain height he descends rapidly, alighting for the most 

 part, though not always, on to the branch of a tree, and ever 

 singing. The haughty Swans by the willows have a couple 

 of eggs in the nest, which consists of aquatic plants, such as 

 rushes and reeds. Five or six more eggs have to be laid to 

 complete the clutch. It is the largest egg laid by any bird 

 now breeding in our country. 



It is pleasing to observe the attention which is now being 

 given by the Press to Natural History. Thus encouraged, 

 the study is making very rapid headway, and surely there is 

 no stronger safeguard against frittering away the energies of 

 the brain than the early cultivation of a sensible hobby. Keep- 

 ing the mind occupied helps one considerably, and parents 

 would do well to encourage their growing children to set out 

 in the shape of written thought their ideas on topics which 

 engross their juvenile attention. The study of Nature is one 

 which should afford pleasure, impart useful information, and 

 sow seeds of culture in the garden of the mind. 



Miss Jekyll in her delightful book "Wood and Garden" 

 beautifully writes of June, thus : 



"June is here thank God for lovely June I The soft cooing 

 of the wood-dove, the glad song of many birds, the flitting 

 of butterflies, the hum of all the little winged people among 

 the branches, the sweet earth scents all seem to say the same, 

 with endless reiteration, never wearying because so gladsome," 



