BRITISH GAME-BIRDS. 181 



they're harryin' a thrush's nest. Don't the old uns 

 holler, they'll hev 'em out on't ; reg'lar thieves is 

 magpies. I wants to git one, but they ain't easy 

 to git hold on ; only old hosscoper l Jack has got 

 one roun' here, but he's a sight more cunnin' 

 and artful 'an what his master is, an' that's sayin' 

 summut." 



We were in a long narrow valley between two 

 hills, only one out of many ; the district is a succes- 

 sion of hills and dales, with water at the bottom 

 of all. Not a sound was heard there, and nothing 

 living was in sight in the air above us nor on the 

 ground below. The fresh sharp breath of the 

 morning was heavy with all the odours from the 

 trees and the fresh tangle beneath ; for even in 

 hard winters you will find all things growing fresh 

 and green under the shelter of the firs. 



" I allus thinks as 'tis whisht like," said my com- 

 panion, "the fust thing afore the sun climbs the 

 hill. When he gits roun' the side, he'll light them 

 'ere firs up, an' fall on the slopes an' then, if they 

 ain't flighted over the t'other hills, we are most 

 sure tu see 'em. I'll go an' git my tools out o' 



1 A fraud of a horse-dealer. 



