OLD HEDGEROWS. 75 



can be called night, throws a rich glow over the 

 whole hillside. In the distance the Southdown 

 hills show as great lines of purple haze ; near to us 

 a rich glow, which is neither red nor purple, creeps 

 and flickers. 



As we stand near a large oak watching the fern- 

 owls dashing to and fro, just over the heads of the 

 rabbits that are out feeding, overhead a sweet song 

 trills out from an unseen singer, the woodlark is 

 singing his evening song, and sometimes it is 

 carried far into the night. 



A little below the gravelly pit or hollow runs a 

 wood path, or ride, seldom used for traffic, except 

 when copse-cutting is carried on ; the trees at some 

 time or other had been cut and the roots grubbed 

 up to make it. Now you may not see a single tuft 

 of brambles, or torey-grass, before the process takes 

 place; but when such places are cleared a bit for 

 the purpose I have mentioned, these spring up in 

 rank luxuriance. As rough water-runs are made on 

 either side, to prevent them from being stodged up 

 when the rains fall, even in the hottest summers 

 there is moisture, and all things are fresh, cool, and 

 flourishing. Here you can hear the grasshopper- 



