180 COUNTRY RAMBLES. 



a number of flowers of this not very common Orchis. How like a 

 Bee, to be sure, and what an illustration of mimicry in wild life. I 

 have never seen the Fly or the Spider Orchis, but I am told their 

 mimicry is perfect. I was so pleased to find the Bee Orchis to-day, 

 as it is being rapidly exterminated in this district), Field Convolvulus, 

 Broom, Common Vetch, Ground Ivy (a few flower heads found, but 

 not to any extent), Bugle, Frogbit, Broad-leaved Plantain, Spotted 

 Orchis (much commoner than the Bee species previously referred to), 

 Ragged Robin, Hedge Mustard, Centaury, Wood Vetch, Hedge 

 Calamint, Tufted Vetch, Great Mullein (are not the large golden 

 heads of this flower a picture? There are six other species in 

 Britain, but none of them are so common as the present one), Scarlet 

 Pimpernel, Self-heal (old names for this plant are those of Carpenter's 

 Herb, Sicklewort, Hook-heal, and Slough-heal), Agrimony, Small 

 Knapweed, Cow Wheat (found in the woods for the most part; has a 

 very delicate yellowish flower), Silver Weed (how the flowers of this 

 plant, the Cinquefoil, and the Tormentil resemble one another at a 

 glance). I do not think this is at all a bad list; there are over seventy 

 species mentioned above, which is the largest number we have found 

 in flower this season. 



Birds singing: Skylark, Hedge Sparrow (singing more now 

 than he has done any time this year), Tree Pipit (does not cease its 

 song through the breeding season, as a good many birds do), Common 

 Wren (a similar remark applies to this diminutive bird as was made 

 in the case of the Hedge Sparrow), Song Thrush, Greater Whitethroat 

 (still uttering as quick and delicious a song as ever he did), Blackbird 

 (how measured is each note of this fascinating songster), Blackcap 

 (we point out the song of this Warbler to the friend who is with us, 

 but he does not like it so well as that of the Nightingale), Redbreast, 

 Willow Wren (good many of these pleasing little songsters heard 

 to-day). 



Birds seen or heard: Swallow (seem to be more plentiful this 

 season than the House Martin), Robin (a young one seen in his 

 spotted livery, quite bob-tailed. Robins at this time of the year are 

 often seen with a nearly featherless head. I am told the reason is 

 that the young Cuckoo when being fed is so voracious and large- 

 mouthed that he often has part of his foster-parent's head in his 

 mouth, too), Chiff Chaff (to be heard on every side), Nightingale (a 

 fine male seen flitting across a green lane, but although I have been 

 out all day not a Nightingale note was to be heard), Jay, Jackdaw, 

 Swift, Starling (getting into flocks now), Ring Dove (one of the most 



