WILD LIFE IN HARD WEATHER 213 



Nature provides a crumb for consolation and a 

 little warmth for comfort, while the world with- 

 out is being sorely tried, and the fittest only are 

 suffered to survive. 



Many birds, which in mild weather frequent 

 the open fields, change their places of abode 

 after a few days of hard frost. Indeed, the 

 absence of small birds in exposed meadows is 

 sometimes strangely noticeable. The members 

 of the thrush and finch families are found in 

 hundreds where before the frost hardly one could 

 be seen. I have observed even larks and sparrows 

 to take up their quarters in thick coverts of 

 Scotch fir when the frost binds the pastures with 

 its glassy fetters and leaves only the rich, loamy 

 soil of the woodlands free. 



But, while in certain respects the habits of 

 many creatures have altered to a remarkable 

 extent, the rigours of winter have caused, on 

 the whole, comparatively little suffering this 

 year among the hills. Every day in the past 

 week has been alike hard frost in the shade, 

 and a quick, general thaw in the sun. And, 

 though the daily periods of release from the 

 conditions of famine are fully utilised by the 

 little dwellers in the wilds for obtaining nourish- 

 ment, the equally constant periods of frost are 

 beginning to tell on the life of field and wood- 

 land. 



