NOVEMBER. 293 



Birds seen or heard : Chaffinch, House Sparrow (saw one or 

 two to-day clinging to a wall alter the manner of a Swift), Rook, 

 Greenfinch, Hedge Sparrow, Blackbird, Jay, and Starling. 



Some of the leaves have not yet fallen, and those on the Wych 

 Elm are still very delicate and beautiful. The Oak mostly retains its 

 foliage as yet. We rambled to-day with a friend from the North, 

 and he was particularly struck with the foliage still being on the trees ; 

 it seemed to him like the month of September, he remarked. 



Down a green lane, which just now is disagreeable walking unless 

 one has on some good, thick, water-tight boots and a pair of service- 

 able leggings, we came across some roughish-looking customers 

 boiling what was apparently a cabbage borrowed from a neighbouring 

 field. Two or three loaves of bread were to be seen on the green 

 grass breakfast-table, and the loafers were evidently going to have a 

 royal feast of bread and cabbage 1 



The berries of the Wild Guelder Rose are still very beautiful, and 

 the hedgerows, which are daily assuming a more destitute appearance, 

 may now be seen laden with Hips and Haws more prominently than 

 before. 



19th. Quite a change in the weather. Bright, bracing morning. 

 House Sparrows making themselves prominent in the garden. Dame 

 Nature seems reluctant to shake off her Autumn attire, but in many 

 places the trees and hedgerows are quite bare, and present quite a 

 wintry aspect. 



20th. Fine weather. Skylark still silent. Robin noisy, but not 

 singing. 



21st. Fine open weather. Hedge Sparrow and Robin singing. 



22nd. Muggy weather. Robin and Hedge Sparrow singing 

 cheerily. 



Note. On the 19th and 20th, when it was fine and bright, neither 

 bird was singing; to-day it has been muggy, and both birds have been 

 singing gaily. Skylark still silent. 



23rd. Typical November morning ; foggy and damp. Hedge Sparrow 

 noisy, House Sparrows chirping. 



24th. Dull and November-like. Hedge Sparrow singing almost 

 continuously now. Strong winds towards evening. 



My note a few weeks since that some Rooks were building has 

 been eclipsed by a report in the "Field" of a nest of Young Rooks 



