JANUARY. 



"Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring, 

 Can each its offering bring, 

 In ceaseless round of harmless pleasure." 



1st. Hard frost during last night. Is not the air biting cold this 

 morning, so cold, that unless the rambler keeps on the move it is 

 positively discomforting? Yet, cold as it is, bird life is very much in 

 evidence. We noted with pleasure half-a dozen Wild Geese just now 

 taking refuge on a sheet of water at the back of the miller's; we 

 cannot fail to notice also a beautiful Sheldrake on a fast running 

 stream. Goodness knows from whence it came, as no wild fowl are 

 kept hereabouts, yet it seems quite at home and in its element! 

 Walking by the side of the water we disturb a fine male rosy-breasted 

 Bullfinch; how prominent his black head, slaty back and white rump, 



and then as he perches and faces us, 

 we get a fine view of his noble brast 

 There are several Chaffinches " pinking*' 

 now and a Robin comes down to the 

 water's edge to quench his thirst. Stand- 

 ing still, and with glasses up, is it not 

 cold? The frost during last night was 

 very severe; probably that accounts for 

 the tameness of the birds this morning. 

 We are now watching a dozen Meadow 

 Pipits flying about, and uttering their 

 shrill alarm notes; whilst a little further 

 on we hear the Hedge Sparrow's some- 

 what monotonous "cheep, cheep," and 



the shrill welcome alarm of the Pied Wagtail. We note the flocks 

 of Starlings to be seen this January morning, fighting, scrambling and 

 shrieking over some precious tit-bit one of their number has just 



COMMON WREN. 



