2 WITHIN AN HOUR OF LONDON TOWN. 



" Gock," "Gock-whir," there goes a blackcock; 

 they breed here near water-pools on the highest part 

 of the land in the hot summer weather. Wild 

 ducks rear their young here also ; the cottagers 

 find the mother and ducklings in the dipholes some- 

 times when they go for water in the early morn- 

 ing. Poultry they keep on the hills, but not ducks. 

 ." Snakes ? " Yes, large ones too. No fear of 

 treading on one, they are off like a flash ; any one 

 not accustomed to them would wonder what that 

 shining streak meant. Butterflies of many kinds 

 are flitting about- here and there and everywhere. 

 Prominent from the others by their flight are the 

 strong-winged fritillaries. 



Now, from the common through the woods, we 

 reach the moor. Up through firs, their trunks 

 blazing red in the sunlight, another mile, and we 

 are on the camp ground, rightly so named, for on 

 it are the traces of a Roman fortress. In a line 

 from this is Farleigh, dearly beloved by the anti- 

 quarian community for the treasures it has given 

 them. 



Fern owls, not Roman coins or vases, are what 

 we have come in search of. But look round, before 



