1 92 Wild Life in a Southern County 



In some places they are numerous ; one or two other 

 meadows on the farm beside the home-field are favourite 

 haunts of theirs, and five or six may be found out feeding 

 within a short distance. When all is still they move 

 rapidly through the grass quite a run ; much quicker 

 than they appear capable of moving. The plough lads, if 

 they find one, carry it to a pond, knowing that nothing but 

 water will make it unroll voluntarily no knocks or kicks ; 

 but the moment it touches the water it uncoils. Now and 

 then a labourer will cook a hedgehog and eat it ; some of 

 them will eat a full-grown rook at any time they chance to 

 shoot it, notwithstanding the bitter flavour of the bird, only 

 taking out a part of the back. Those who have had some 

 association with the gipsies or semi-gipsies seem most 

 addicted to this kind of food. 



In the opposite direction to the ash copse, and about 

 half a mile north of Wick farmhouse, there rises above 

 the oak and ash trees what looks like the topmast and 

 yard of a ship lying at anchor or in dock, the hull hidden 

 by the branches. It is the top of an immensely tall and 

 gaunt fir-tree, whose thin and perhaps dying boughs pro- 

 ject almost at right angles. This landmark, visible over 

 the level meadows for a considerable distance, stands in 

 that little enclosed meadow which has once before been 

 mentioned as one of the favourite resorts of birds and wild 

 animals. 



From the ash copse the travelling parties come down 

 the highway hedge to the orchard : then, crossing the 

 orchard and road, they enter another thick hedge, which 

 continues in the same general direction ; and finally, fol- 

 lowing it, arrive at this small green mead walled in by 

 trees and mounds so broad as to resemble elongated copses. 

 The mead itself may perhaps be two acres in extent, but 



