EVENING IN THE WOODS 7 



A larger total of birds will be seen in places like 

 these in one hour than would be met with during 

 a whole day in the heart of a wood, although in 

 the more secluded spots there are birds to be seen 

 such as Crows, Hawks, and other similar kinds. 

 These love seclusion ; but it needs a very keen eye 

 to detect them as they noiselessly rise from their 

 nests. 



One evening in the spring of 1899, I loitered 

 for some time in a certain wood in order to 

 discover, whether the Nightingale had as yet 

 arrived. Entering beneath the trees I walked a 

 short distance, and then sat down on the stump 

 of a tree that had just been felled. 



On the right was the keeper's cottage some 

 little distance down in the hollow. A large valley 

 stretched for miles below, and beyond there was a 

 chain of grey hills. The sun was sinking behind 

 these latter, thus giving one a sight of one of those 

 magnificent sunsets that may be sometimes seen 

 in early spring. 



All around there was a great chorus of bird- 

 song, principally coming from Blackbirds and 

 Thrushes ; it actually seemed as though there 

 must be at least one in almost every tree ; no 

 single song could be distinguished ; the concert 

 was, as it were, a kind of melodious Babel, which 



