Dexterity of Birds 263 



the hedge where it is sheltered. They are industrious, 

 work well, drink little, and bear generally a good character. 



After the haymaking in the vale is finished, the itine- 

 rant families turn towards the lighter soils, where the corn 

 crops are fast ripening, and soon leave the scene of their 

 former labours fifty miles behind them. A few perhaps 

 straggle back in time to assist in the latter part of the corn 

 harvest on the heavy lands, if it has been delayed by the 

 weather. The physicians say that change of air is essen- 

 tial to health : the migration of birds may not be without 

 its effect upon their lives, quite apart from the search for 

 food alone. 



The dry walls which sometimes enclose corn fields 

 (built of flat stones) are favourite places with many birds. 

 The yellowhammers often alight on them, so do the finches 

 and larks ; for the coarse mortar laid on the top decays 

 and is overgrown with mosses, so that it loses the hard 

 appearance of a wall. When the sparrow who has waited 

 till you are close to him suddenly starts, his wings, beating 

 the air, make a sound like the string of a bow pulled and 

 released to try it without an arrow. 



The dexterous way in which a bird helps itself to thistle- 

 down is interesting to watch. The thistle has no branch 

 on which he can perch ; he must take it on the wing. He 

 flies straight to the head of the thistle, stoops as it were, 

 seizes the down, and passes on with it in the bill to the 

 nearest bough much in the same Way as some tribes of 

 horsemen are related to pick up a lance from the ground 

 whilst going at full speed. 



Many birds twirl their c r's'; others lisp, as the 

 nightingale, and instead of ' sweet ' say ' thweet, thweet.' 

 The finches call to each other, * Kywee, kywee tweo 

 thweet,' which, whatever may be its true translation, has a 



