160 COUNTRY RAMBLES. 



country-side now. I think there is no more harmonious blending 

 than this scarlet and light green. What nosegay or bouquet looks 

 more beautiful? The leaves of the Silver Weed deserve mention 

 now ; also the young red leaves of the Maple. 



Birds singing: Skylark, Blackbird ("Thou hast thy matin and 

 thy vesper song!") Greater Whitethroat, Blackcap (several heard 

 to-day uttering their delicious bubbling songs), Chaffinch, Common 

 Wren, Willow Wren, Tree Pipit (one or two seen and heard to-day 

 were singing whilst on a low bush, and on top of a fence, and did 

 not partake of the song-flight), Song Thrush, Nightingale heard 

 once or twice slightly, the song not nearly so well sustained), Robin. 



Birds seen or heard: -Swallow, Rook, House Sparrow, Green- 

 finch, Yellow Bunting (uttering the so-called song, "A little bit of 

 bread, and no cheese"), Chuff Chaff (the notes to be heard on every 

 side), Jay, Ring Dove (disturbed a good many in the woods, evidently 

 feeding on something on the ground), Cuckoo (getting quite hoarse- 

 like in its cry), Spotted Flycatcher (the pointed beak very marked), 

 Green Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail (uttering its alarm note, and 

 another one seen catch ng flies in the road near the horse droppings. 

 I also observed a young Wagtail to-day just able to fly. How the 

 peculiar jerky actions are noticeable even in the young fledgling) 

 Starling, Partridge, Swift, House Martin, and Hedge Sparrow, seen 

 or heard, too. Watched a Swallow and Chaffinch fighting; neither 

 of them came to grief. 



Found several Yellow Buntings' nests, which contained four eggs 

 in each; also young Chaffinches nearly ready to leave the nest. It 

 is my opinion that birds will often build on a certain side of a hedge. 

 Very often I cannot find a single nest on one side, whilst on the 

 other nests are forthcoming quite frequently. I think it is where 

 they are sheltered from the East winds that they nest the most. 



Cuckoo Spit everywhere along the country-side to-day. 



In the woods there was an old coat thrown carelessly on the 

 branches by the side of a riding. In one of the pockets I found a 

 nest, but until the eggs are laid (if any), I cannot identify the occupier 

 of this strange nesting site. The nest was composed of dead 

 grasses, coarse outside and finer within. It was quite a deep nest, 

 and I am very anxious to find out the owner. Of this perhaps more 

 anon. We noticed a green-coloured Spider at his web in the woods, 

 also a Toad, and along a hedgerow a Field Mouse perched on the 

 opmost branches feeding on some greenstuff. He did not attempt 



