288 COUNTRY RAMBLES. 



4th. Dull, Scotch misty morning. Rain towards afternoon and 

 evening. 



Flowers in bloom: Charlock, Scentless Mayweed, Nipplewort, 

 Long-rooted Cat's Ear, Groundsel, Scarlet Poppy, White Clover, 

 Heartsease, Garlic Mustard (two pieces found in flower, surely 

 extremely early, or should it be late?) Marsh Thistle, Creeping 

 Crowfoot, Cow Parsnip, Wild Carrot, White Campion, Chickweed 

 Sow Thistle, Field Scabious, Germander Speedwell, Bramble (still in 

 flower in November!) Dandelion, Daisy (coming into flower again 

 now), Yarrow (going off rapidly), Red Clover, Shepherd's Purse, 

 White Dead Nettle, Hop Trefoil, and Hedge Mustard (just a little 

 only in flower). 



Birds singing: Wren, Robin, Skylark, Song Thrush (heard one 

 of these sweet-voiced birds singing gaily to-day; the first time for 

 many weeks), and Hedge Sparrows; quite a formidable list of singing 

 birds. 



Birds seen or heard: House Sparrow, Rook (going over early, 

 cawing loudly), Blackbird (clucking in the spinneys), Chaffinch 

 ("pinking"), Redwing, Jay (very noisy in the woods this morning), 

 Starling, Linnet, Coal Tit, and Great Tit. 



Noticed many Fungus rings under some Oak trees, and some 

 eggs of the Bath White Butterfly attached to a fence. A Hare 

 squatted and allowed us to pass within a yard or two of it. What 

 fleet creatures these are, to be sure! They seem to be mad not only 

 in March, but all the year round. 



Now for a little sermonising. It is a dull November morning, 

 but we see different forms of wild life each time we are astir. We 

 may pass along one way and observe various creatures, then return 

 within a few moments and see an entirely fresh list of performers on 

 Nature's wondrous variety stage. A Coal Tit is flitting along the 

 hedgerow perchance, and a Chaffinch is " pinking " in front of us. 

 Some Starlings are busy chattering now, and a few Rooks have just 

 flown overhead calling loudly to one another, followed by two or 

 three Redwings and Linnets. Now a Jay is screaming in the wood- 

 land in the distance, and we can just hear some Partridges calling. 

 Did you not catch a glimpse of that Weasel just now, or of that 

 brushy-tailed Squirrel skipping about gathering together its Winter 

 store, or of that Dormouse creeping noiselessly through the bracken 

 and bushes in front of us ? Truly we are favoured with an abundance 

 of wild life, green fields and meadows, pleasant woodlands, and the 



