THE MARITIME DISTRICT 239 



ling in small flocks), and the meadow-pipit. In October, 

 when cold and wet weather has set the more dilatory 

 seed-eating migrants in motion, together with all those 

 kinds that leave their summer haunts to winter else- 

 where within the country, birds in multitudes arrive at 

 this " threshold of England," some to rest and recruit 

 their strength before taking their flight across the 

 Channel, others in search of suitable winter quarters ; 

 and so long as the weather permits numbers of these 

 travellers keep to the hills. 



On the cultivated downland farms the linnets are 

 most abundant, and if the weather keeps mild, will 

 haunt the stubble-fields down to the end of November. 

 As many as three or four thousand birds may some- 

 times be seen in a flock, and it is a fine spectacle when 

 they rise and wheel about the field, and after three or 

 four turns drop down, a shower of birds, vanishing all 

 at once from sight. A person may then stand within 

 fifty yards of the flock without hearing the faintest 

 sound, or being able to see one of the little brown 

 creatures busily searching for seeds on the brown soil ; 

 then suddenly they are all up again, an innumer- 

 able multitude of swiftly rushing twittering birdlings, 

 brought, as it were, by a miracle into existence ! 



From the stubbles they fly to a brake or thick 

 hedge, and sit so closely crowded together on every 

 twig that the leafless thorns are brown with them on 

 the sunny side. If the weather be not too cold one 

 may then hear the winter singing of the linnet 



