22 COUNTRY RAMBLES. 



ful of young Clover taken out of its crop, and he once found a piece 

 of glass as large as a Walnut inside one. Ring Doves, better known, 

 perhaps, as Wood Pigeons, are most voracious birds. They do a lot 

 of harm to young Turnips, Clover, and Corn, but eat the seeds of 

 many obnoxious weeds, such as Charlock, also Acorns and Beech 

 Mast 



All birds still silent. One cannot hear any bird sound now 

 except the occasional "pink, pink" of the Chaffinch. Many birds 

 are pairing. 



13th. Great deal more snow falling to-night; blowing a regular 

 blizzard. 



"Announced by all the trumpets of the sky, 

 Arrives the snow, and driving o'er the fields, 

 Seems nowhere to alight: the whited air 

 Hides hills and woods, the river, and the heaven, 

 And veils the farmhouse at the garden's end." 



EMERSON. 



We are having a good, old-fashioned Winter, the first time for 

 some years, but as one listens to the moaning of the wind and the 

 beatings against the panes we think of the poor birds. The Starlings 

 were very ravenous at the meat bone to-day in the garden; they 

 almost gorged themselves to death. The Blue Tit appeared, also the 

 Robin and the Sparrows. 



14th. A blizzard raged all through last night, and we woke this 

 morning to find the snow drifted in places to the depth of three and 

 four feet; it is the heaviest fall we have had for some years The 

 birds were quite tame this morning when I fed them, and so rave- 

 nous 1 It has thawed during the day, but to-night it is freezing hard. 

 The vagaries of our English climate are proverbial. 



15th Snowing again this morning, giving place to rain, and a 

 very rapid thaw later. The birds may now drink to their heart's 

 content, as there is water everywhere. The streams are swollen, and 

 this volume of water should do much good to the land. The young 

 Lambs are having a very bad time, I am afraid, this rough weather, 

 and farmers are now looking forward to the Springtime. I hear a pair 

 of Ring Doves are building a nest in St. Martin's Churchyard, Thames 

 Street, London; they have built there for the last three years. They 

 are very early and late breeders. When this snow has gone let us hope 

 for some nice bright sunshine, and Nature will then assert herself very 

 quickly. 



