184 OUT OF DOORS. 



downwards in a sort of partial spiral, caused by the 

 way in which the animals turn round and round before 

 they lie down — a relic of wild life which has survived 

 even in our domestic dogs. Many birds, by the way, 

 make the foundation of their nests after a similar 

 fashion, arranging a quantity of grass in the required 

 place, sitting on it, and spinning round and round 

 until they have worked a suitable hollow in it. Some 

 thirty or so of these resting places are plainly seen, 

 and while I was looking at the clump the other day, 

 out popped a rabbit, without noticing me, as I was 

 standing perfectly still. Suddenly the little animal 

 detected a strange presence, and scuttled back again 

 very much faster than it had come out. 



As to position, this splendid blackberry bush is 

 most favourably situated, being sheltered by trees on 

 nearly every side, and only exposed towards the south. 

 So much for the bush itself ; now let us note its aspect 

 in two periods of the autumn — namely, the beginning 

 and towards the end. 



It is a fine, warm, but not sultry day at the begin- 

 ning of autumn, with a rather smart breeze, which is 

 very pleasant in one respect, but rather disagreeable in 

 another, inasmuch as it keeps at home so many insects 

 which would otherwise be abroad. 



As far as flowers and leaves go the bush is in its 

 prime. Its whole surface is covered with flowers in 

 various stages of progress. Some of them have nearly 

 run their course ; their petals are bent backwards, so 



