OLD HEDGEROWS. 77 



be made fit for birds by hard weather ; and this is 

 one more example of the eternal fitness of things. 

 The wren chatters, turns his tail over his back, and 

 is very busy near his nest, which has been deserted 

 for some time by his numerous family. Probably 

 the little fellow thinks they may require that snug 

 home again to roost in at night, if the weather gets 

 rough. At present he is only on a tour of inspec- 

 tion, to see if some other creature has been before 

 him, with that same purpose in view. Some 

 creatures that " lay up " that is the woodland 

 name for shelter are very innocent and perfectly 

 harmless ; others are not so : I have had my fingers 

 bitten at times before I got as well acquainted with 

 wild things as I am now. But I have not yet been 

 bitten by a viper. It is not pleasant to find you 

 have got one of these creatures in a deserted nest 

 which once belonged to a mouse that the reptile no 

 doubt had swallowed, before taking the little crea- 

 ture's home to himself, to live in it for the winter. 

 The dormouse has finished his grass house, and 

 sleeps in it at night ; in a short time he will curl up 

 for his long rest. The wood-mouse, called by some 

 the garden-mouse, because it leaves the woods to 



