4 WOODLANDERS AND FIELD FOLK 



platform nests wicker-like each containing two 

 white eggs. The wood-pigeons not only nest here, 

 but have their regular roosts through the greater 

 part of the year. The red-furred squirrels look for 

 you, hide from you, always with a branch intervening; 

 they have their " dreys " in the angles of the boughs. 

 Squirrels have two nests. The summer one is a 

 slight structure, swaying far out on the frailest 

 twigs ; in this the young are produced, and its aerial 

 site acts as a protection. The winter nest is against 

 the trunk of the tree, and is thickly lined with hay 

 and soft needles. 



In the open spots, where the jays and the cushats 

 come, a patch of forest flowers and bright green grass 

 glistens. Even here, on the thinly-soiled ground, 

 the golden rock-rose blooms, the wild thyme, and 

 the tormentilla. Sometimes even the giant bell- 

 flower rears itself, and a few species of carex. This 

 bright green caterpillar that we see, with brown- 

 black stripes, will first change into a brown chrysalis, 

 then into a beautiful pine-hawk moth not a common 

 entomological find. In addition to these, in and 

 about the wood, are the black-arches, barred-red 

 and grey carpet-moths, the light, silver-striped, 

 orange-spotted, spotted and streaked pine, scarce 

 ermine, large and resin-grey moths, and a host 

 of others. Many of these are beautiful, and all 

 interesting. 



