/A FLIGHT TIME 179 
having only the stems left ; even the berries that 
have fallen are eagerly sought for. Great emmet 
heaps are numerous round the dry, sloping edges of 
the fields ; so are old blackthorns. The yaffle, or 
green woodpecker, is by no means scarce here ; you 
may put up one or two families of them as you walk 
along old birds and their young. These latter are 
so much speckled that, with only a casual glimpse, 
they might be mistaken for young missel-thrushes. 
Only for a moment, though, for the yells of the parent 
birds and the half-choked cackle of the others speak 
for themselves. If you could take one in your hand 
to examine it, you would find it in rare good con- 
dition ; grubs, caterpillars, beetles, and ant-eggs, with 
other matters, have made all the family right plump. 
Hawfinches are in full force just now ; they do 
not harass that afore-mentioned old friend of mine, 
grinding up his precious marrow-fats, since the 
season of these is long past. They are prospecting 
about with their keen eyes to find out which crop of 
berries or fruit will be ready for them first 
Under the wild cherry trees they will search for 
the stones of fallen fruit ; then the damson trees will 
be visited in every cottage garden. So they jerk 
from one place to another, continually on the lookout 
for something wherewith to please and satisfy palate 
