EARLY MORNING IN THE WOODS 31 



One of my most interesting wood rambles in 

 still early spring was enjoyed before sunrise. The 

 spot we wished to visit was some distance off, so 

 that we had to be up while it was yet dark. 

 Crossing two fields which were covered with white 

 frost, we came to a winding lane which dipped into 

 a deep valley, and at the end of this was another 

 field to be crossed, and meanwhile the " swish " of 

 walking in the wet grass roused several ground- 

 roosting birds. These we heard and just caught 

 sight of as they fluttered away, but we could not 

 see what they were, though probably they may 

 have been Larks. 



Crawling through a hedge to cut off a corner we 

 came in sight of the outskirts of our wood, showing 

 dimly at the summit of a steep hill. At the top of 

 this, while looking back, the clouds in the east 

 showed their tinge of " russet-mantled morn," and 

 this had been noticed by a Carrion-Crow, for he 

 was calling loudly to all the land, and rudely broke 

 the early morning stillness. Entering the wood a 

 cock Pheasant called, and was soon answered by 

 another roosting in a tree, and these flew away, 

 making a great clattering as they crashed through 

 the branches. 



The ground was covered in places with beech 

 leaves, the rustling caused by walking through 



