222 NATURE IN DOWNLAND 



moving about, searching for grain ; and all about them 

 and over the whole field of many acres the wood- 

 pigeons in twos and threes and larger parties were 

 also quietly feeding, while fresh parties were con- 

 tinually arriving. In that clear air and bright 

 sunshine they looked lavender-coloured on the pale 

 yellow stubble. The wood-pigeons scattered over the 

 field must have numbered six or seven hundred. It 

 was curious and amusing to note the behaviour of the 

 magpies, flighty, inconsequent, and perpetually inter- 

 fering with one another, when thus seen side by side 

 with the diligent, quietly-moving pigeons and par- 

 tridges, each occupied with his own business. One 

 magpie would find or pretend to find something which 

 he would look down at very intently, and at once two 

 or three of his neighbours would rush excitedly up ; 

 then all of them, putting their heads together, would 

 stare at the strange object for a few seconds, and then 

 fall to quarrelling, or chasing each other's long tails 

 round and round, or doing some other ridiculous 

 thing. 



By-and-by a domestic pigeon, a pretty red bird 

 with conspicuous white wing-feathers, came flying from 

 the farm-house not far off and settled down to feed 

 among some wood-pigeons, twenty or thirty yards from 

 the magpies. One of the magpies raised its head and 

 gazed intently for some moments at the new-comer, 

 then rising rushed at and drove it away with violence. 

 The pigeon circled over the field two or three times, 



