94 NATURE IN DOWNLAND 



had the appearance of great black-winged butterflies 

 flitting across the green sward. 



Near this colony, at a spot where there is a good 

 deal of furze, I observed that the wheatear, like some 

 small birds of the woodland, is a great hater of the 

 red-backed shrike. When attacking he hovers like a 

 kestrel at a height of eight or ten yards above his 

 enemy, then dashes down upon him and finally chases 

 him away. It is not very probable that young wheat- 

 ears are often or ever attacked by the shrike ; but this 

 pretty little bird looks what he is — a butcher among 

 birds; and besides, the wheatear has doubtless seen 

 him attack the young of other species, and slay them 

 with his hawk-like beak. 



A few notes on the reptiles of the downs will 

 conclude this long chapter on wild life. 



The common lizard is found everywhere among 

 the gorse and heath, but is not so abundant as in 

 suitable localities in the lowlands. Every one is 

 familiar with the debilitating or paralysing effect 

 produced on rabbits and hares by a stoat when he 

 hunts them ; and we are familiar, too, with a similar 

 weakness in the frog when pursued by a snake. But 

 it is not known that our common little lizard suffers 

 in the same way. I do not see how any snake, 

 even the swift-moving smooth snake that preys almost 

 exclusively on that creature, could ever catch lizards 



