TREES AND FLOWERS 135 



the Sedums in the garden this Autumn. Why is this ? The 

 pink heads of blossom of the Ice Plant, as the Sedum is also 

 called, are, as a rule, an unfailing attraction to the Red Admiral. 

 As a matter of fact, I have grown these decorative plants for 

 several years for the sole purpose of attracting this handsome 

 insect in the Autumn. This year, however, it has failed me. 



Has the reader noticed how quickly the Starlings and other 

 birds make a raid upon the berries of the Elder when they com- 

 mence operations ? In a wet Summer birds have plenty of 

 moisture and succulence, but when a dry September sets in, then 

 the Elderberries come in extremely useful to our feathered 

 population, and they soon make short work of them. 



Birds are not the only bipeds which make a raid upon the 

 Elder, for during my wanderings I meet several parties of women 

 and children gathering the fruit, for the purpose of making Elder- 

 berry wine. That this is a good, wholesome drink I can myself 

 testify, and I remember that some years ago I always had a hot 

 glass of it when making a Winter call upon a friendly game- 

 keeper. 



The syrup-laden berries of the Purging Buckthorn are also 

 in request during the Autumn. I cannot discover to my satis- 

 faction that birds are fond of them, but Norton Common, and 

 other districts, have invited gangs of women and girls to gather 

 the black, juicy Buckthorn berries for the purpose, as I under- 

 stand, of conveyance to Hitchin chemists, to whom they are 

 sold at the rate of 2d. per Ib. I have no complaint to make 

 at the gathering in of the wild fruits of the earth the appetising 

 Crab-apple jelly upon the table is a testimony to my feeling in 

 this respect-^but I do strongly object when whole hordes of 

 outsiders visit a district, pull the trees and shrubs to pieces in 

 a most disgraceful way, and throw down the branches when the 

 berries have been taken from them. 



Surely these country operations can be conducted without 

 giving offence to one's neighbours, and there is no need to intro- 

 duce the spirit of vandalism, which, to say the least, is rampant 

 enough at all times. 



The Starling, by the way, is not the only bird which has a 

 sweet " tooth," for I was recently watching a soft-billed bird, 

 the Lesser Whitethroat, feeding upon Elderberries. I had just 

 seen the bird catch and devour a fine green caterpillar, and, 

 having stored that away successfully, it took up its position in 

 an Elder bush, and, by way of dessert, feasted upon several 



