THE WOODS IN AUTUMN 63 



while ; the Thrushes uttering their harsh screams, 

 while the Jackdaws responded with genuine un- 

 musical ardour as became birds-of-war. At last, 

 making an extra furious onslaught, the Thrushes 

 gained the advantage and inflicted severe punish- 

 ment on the aggressive enemy, the defeated Jack- 

 daws appearing to be very dejected as they 

 retreated to the chimney-pots of a house. Judging 

 by the seeming conversation which was held by 

 the vanquished foe, they were no doubt discussing 

 the advisability of getting out of the neighbour- 

 hood, as the Thrushes, from their still loud and 

 defiant cries, seemed likely to renew the attack 

 with still more disagreeable consequences follow- 

 ing. 



The woods in autumn always present a grand 

 spectacle. This year (1899) the leaves remain 

 longer than usual on the trees, and only very 

 gradually change to their rosy tints. To see the 

 woods to advantage at such a time one needs to 

 be on rising ground, so as to be able to look down 

 upon them when the morning sun lights up their 

 many fine colours. Each tree has its own charac- 

 teristic tint yellow, red, &c. and no two trees 

 are quite alike. Numbers of evergreens, and occa- 

 sionally a silvery trunk gleams in the sunlight, all 

 helping to harmonise the whole scene. A few 



