78 COUNTRY RAMBLES. 



8th. Wild Strawberry in flower. Watched a pair of Tree Creepers 

 this morning with much interest; they are very silent whenever I 

 see them. The chorus of Thrushes very beautiful ; the woods echoed 

 with sweet music. Never was there such rivalry in the bird world 

 as just now. 



Coal and Great Tits, Skylark, Robin, Wren, and Chaffinch singing. 

 Hawthorn out in some sheltered spots. Lesser Celandine buds nearly 

 all bursting. 



I found the following nests to-day: 



Blackbird : 1 , in Fir, lined with leaves ; 2, in Fir, the pliant branches 

 beautifully hanging over the nest, the latter placed on top of a branch ; 

 3, in Rhododendron; 4, in a low Hornbeam, composed of Grass and 

 Moss; 5, in Honeysuckle bower, composed of nearly all Moss. No 

 eggs in any of these five nests. 



Song Thrush : 1, in Fir, placed on one of the overhanging outside 

 branches, 3 eggs, bird on ; 2, in Ivy, side of tree, broken eggs found 

 on ground; 3, in Fir, 4 eggs, bird on; 4, side Oak tree, Oak leaves 

 used, sticks, skeleton, grasses; no eggs. 



All these nests were very large indeed, bulking out near the 

 middle, and gradually opening out towards the bottom in the form of 

 a platform for the cup to rest in; much larger than those found 

 later on. 



Rooks cawing, Jays screaming, Woodpeckers laughing, Pheasants 

 shouting. 



The Sallow out beautifully, and well to-date, for to-day is Palm 

 Sunday; the golden blossems in their prime, and the aroma very 

 beautiful. The Bees busy round the trees in the woods. The long, 

 pliant branches, as they swayed to and fro in the breeze, presented a 

 very pleasant sight. It will be a Primrose Eastertide; there were a 

 good many out to-day, but in a few days it will be a mass of green 

 and yellow. A couple of Humble-bees in the woods. I noticed some 

 Fungi on a dead tree stump, and hard by a lately-deceased Hedgehog. 

 We note the Hog-like face, the pricked-up ears, and formidable claws; 

 it could not have been dead very long. 



Clumps of Moss in the woods, very nice and green. Saw a 

 Coal-tit or two. How attractive the black head and the soft grey 

 plumage; it utters a weak note; at least, those seen to-day did. 



Cold winds and little sunshine to-day. Saw several Hares 

 careering about, also Rabbits and many pairs of Partridges. The 



