Cave in the Wood. 7 1 



ash are innumerable little excrescences which when 

 rubbed exude a small quantity of red juice. 



The keeper detests this bird's-nesting ; not that 

 he cares much about the pigeons, but because his 

 pheasants are frequently disturbed just at the season 

 when he wishes them to enjoy perfect quiet. It is 

 easy to tell from this post of vantage if any one be 

 passing through the section of the wood within view, 

 though they may be hidden by the boughs. The 

 blackbirds utter a loud cry and scatter ; the pigeons 

 rise and wheel about ; a pheasant gets up with a 

 scream audible for a long distance, and goes with 

 swift flight skimming away just above the ash-poles ; 

 a pair of jays jabber round the summit of a tall fir 

 tree, and thus the intruder's course is made known. 

 But the wind, though light, is still too cold and chilly 

 as it sweeps between the beech trunks to remain at 

 this elevation ; it is warmer below in the wood. 



At the foot of the cliff a natural hollow has been 

 further scooped out by labour of man, and shaped 

 into a small cave large enough for three or four to sit 

 in. It is partly supported by strong wooden pillars, 

 and at the mouth a hut of slabs, thickly covered by 

 furze-faggots, has been constructed, with a door, and 

 with roof thatched with reeds from the lake. A rude 

 bench runs round three sides ; against the fourth 



