226 WITHIN AN HOUR OF LONDON TOWN. 



and birds will attempt their capture from without. 

 Wild creatures often make fatal mistakes, and 

 catastrophes occur at times that exterminate hosts 

 of animals and birds together. After heavy snows 

 the remains of unfortunate creatures such as do 

 not of their own accord associate together have 

 been found involved in one common ruin. 



Before we reached home the snow had fallen so 

 thickly that the footsteps of those who passed were 

 noiseless. On the morning following we find the 

 ground covered a foot deep in some places. Trav- 

 elling over it in one of my usual rambles, I find 

 that the birds are not affected by it. That is be- 

 cause there is no frost. Snow may lie for weeks, 

 if it does not freeze, without wild creatures being 

 punished through it. The robin, as we pass him, 

 looks at us with his bold dark eyes, warbling a 

 cheery song, as if he thought the wintry weather 

 most seasonable and enjoyable. There was never a 

 snowstorm yet that completely covered all places : 

 go where you will, countless spots of possible shel- 

 ter will catch your eye in every direction. The 

 snow may be lying on the hedges, where it has 

 drifted in such heavy masses as to bend them over 



