DECEMBER. 



301 



Flowers in bloom now. Groundsel, Furze (one bush a blaze of 

 yellow out of quite an acre), Dandelion, White Dead Nettle, Yarrow 

 (just a little lingers on), Shepherd's Purse, and actually a small clump 

 of Ragwort. 



Birds singing. Skylark (the most common bird this morning was 

 the Lark. Larks were everywhere, and singing joyously. So soon as 

 it was fine and bright, the birds ceased singing. Is it not curious?) 

 Song Thrush (heard quite a score of these birds in song. It was quite 

 a pleasure to be treated to such Avian song with the surroundings so 

 unpleasant), Robin, Common Wren, and Hedge Sparrow. Quite a 

 formidable list of birds in song. 



CHRISTMAS TURKEYS. 



Birds seen or heard. Rook, Jackdaw (disturbed some ^hundreds 

 of these two last-named birds on some grass land, where they were 

 feeding. They seemed to resent this interference very much, and 

 circled overhead cawing and "jacking" loudly), Great Tit (very noisy; 

 and what a variety of notes it utters, to be sure); Blackbird, Starling, 

 Chaffinch, Partridge, Pheasant, Greenfinch (flitting along the hedge- 

 rows quite trustfully), Pied Wagtail, Jay, Lapwing (a very large flock 

 observed flying very high up; how close and even the whole company 



