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COUNTRY RAMBLES. 



22nd. Fine during day, but heavy showers towards evening. 

 Skylark singing. The rains have brought my Peas along, and the pods 

 are well-formed now. It is only a few days ago since the first flowers 

 were to be seen 1 



23rd. Bright and warm. A perfect Summer day. Lark singing, 

 female Chaffinch "weeping" in the garden, Tree Pipit singing. 



I saw a bird on the 20th catching insects in a meadow, which 

 puzzles me considerably. I watched it for half an hour, and the 

 whole time it uttered a monotonous sort of note, like a shrill " chiff- 

 chaff, chiff-chaff." A small coppice was hard by, and I thought 

 x perhaps the bird might have been 



the Woodlark, but find, on looking 

 into the matter, it was not that 

 species. I had not got my field-glass 

 with me, but the bird came within 

 a few yards of me, and my notes 

 written down at the time are as 

 follows: -Speckled forebreast, light 

 under breast, dark brownish-grey 

 back, no crest on head, light flesh- 

 coloured long legs and feet, about 

 size of Tree Pipit; walked rather 

 than hopped about. My esteemed 

 friend and brother Naturalist, 

 Dr. Greene, gives it as his opinion 

 that it must have been an Ortolan 



Bunting. I do not think this likely, as from the bird's actions it 

 seemed to me to have a nest somewhere about, and had the appearance 

 of a Lark or a Pipit. Dr. Greene tells me, by the way, that a good 

 many Ortolan Buntings were traded off last year by a speculator under 

 the name of Auckland Nightingales ! If any of my readers know of 

 a bird answering the description given above, I should be glad if they 

 would communicate withe me. One never likes to be baffled, and 

 inquiries often elicit a good deal of information other than on the 

 subject inquired into. What is a Meadow Pipit ? 



24th. Bright early, dull later; rain towards evening. 



Flowers found in bloom to-day : Field Convolvulus, Bulbous, 

 Wood, and Upright Meadow Crowfoots, Charlock, While and Red 

 Clovers, Hop Trefoil (what a very pretty flower this is when examined, 

 and how fine and large are the flower heads in some places to 

 what they are in others), Yellow Rocket (a stray piece or two 



LONG-EARED BAT. 



