Blue Thrushes 51 



Over the surface of the lake the early bells of the 

 churches are calling the hour of the first offices of 

 the day, mingled with the Gregorian-like tones of 

 peasants chanting from some boat which is gliding 

 towards the shore, leaving in its wake a long silver 

 streak upon the opaque blueness of the water. 



Nightingales, which have been singing almost 

 through the night, are now busy at their breakfast ; 

 and you catch sight of a russet tail, as one flits from 

 amongst the oleanders to the group of ilex which 

 conceal the garden entrance from the road. 



But it is time to feed the young " passere," for im- 

 patient chirrups are issuing from their basket, and 

 five hungry orange gaping mouths are opened to 

 their widest, five long necks upstretched ere ever 

 the lid is lifted. The china dish has been thoroughly 

 cleaned and rinsed first of all, for yesterday's food, 

 however much there may be left, must be dis- 

 pensed with for fear of any smattering of sourness 

 therein. 



Though hungry now at this early hour, yet their 

 hunger increases and seems to be at its height between 

 eight and nine o'clock. 



There is a marked difference in their growth since 

 yesterday : less quills, and more feathering. And in 

 another week they are up on their feet in the hay, 

 doing their best to look out on the world around 

 them : unmistakable blue thrushes, the males espe- 

 cially being tinted with a warm grey on the general 

 grounding of greyish brown. 



A few more days, and my brood begins to hop 





