36 IN THE GREEN LEAF 



birds think the young can fend for themselves, 

 off they go. This is not a case of choice, but 

 necessity, for they are simply cuffed and buffeted 

 off. So well is this known in the country, that 

 it is a common thing to hear a lad say, " Them 

 'ere hawks has druv their young 'uns off." 



Before the chalk-pits that have been scooped 

 out of the sides of some of our Surrey hills 

 were worked as extensively as they are now 

 for lime-burning, several kinds of birds used 

 to nest in the fissures and cracks in the chalk- 

 such, for instance, as owls, jackdaws, pigeons ; 

 and sparrows, as a matter of course. The owls 

 and the jackdaws were permanent residents. 

 Within thirty years I have seen nearly half a 

 hillside blown and picked away. 



Blowing, or blasting, as it is termed, is 

 carried on very differently now to what it was 

 in past years. The explosives used are far 

 more powerful, and the firing of the shots, as 

 they are called that is, firing the charges- 

 ten to one times more frequent. Indeed, all 

 matters are now carried on more rapidly, and 

 on a larger scale. The birds above mentioned 

 fight very shy of those places now, for too 

 many " chalk - quakes " are taking place all 

 around them. 



