OUT OF DOORS IN FEBRUARY. 213 



companion returns to him. To walk about in search 

 of persons in a crowd is well known to be the worst 

 way of recovering them. Sit still and they will often 

 come by. In a far more certain manner this is the 

 case with birds and animals. They all come back. 

 During a twelvemonth probably every creature would 

 pass over a given locality : every creature that is not 

 confined to certain places. The whole army of the 

 woods and hedges marches across a single farm 

 in twelve months. A single tree especially an old 

 tree is visited by four-fifths of the birds that ever 

 perch in the course of that period. Every year, too, 

 brings something fresh, and adds new visitors to the 

 list. Even the wild sea birds are found inland, and 

 some that scarce seem able to fly at all are cast far 

 ashore by the gales. It is difficult to believe that one 

 would not see more by extending the journey, but, 

 in fact, experience proves that the longer a single 

 locality is studied the more is found in it. But you 

 should know the places in winter as well as in 

 tempting summer, when song and shade and colour 

 attract every one to the field. You should face 

 the mire and slippery path. Nature yields nothing 

 to the sybarite. The meadow glows with buttercups 

 in spring, the hedges are green, the woods lovely ; 

 but these are not to be enjoyed in their full signifi- 

 cance unless you have traversed the same places 

 when bare, and have watched the slow fulfilment 

 of the flowers. 



The moist leaves that remain upon the mounds 

 do not rustle, and the thrush moves among them 

 unheard. The sunshine may bring out a rabbit, 



