32 MY NATURE NOTEBOOK. 



for whole clutches of rare birds' eggs, " any number ! " 

 but few of us cannot remember the pleasurable 

 anticipation with which we approached each ivy tree 

 as offering an almost sure find of some sort of nest. 

 Some of us retain that sort of pleasure still, though 

 none of the nests may be left poorer in speckled 

 treasures for our visits; and it is a glad thing to 

 know that, in spite of frost and snow, in spite of 

 starved foreign birds in every field, nesting-time is 

 very near. Under the snow in the shrubbery-nooks 

 the violet-blooms have kept their beauty safe ; and 

 though the primroses are later than last year when 

 we gathered them for the village wreath for Queen 

 Victoria's funeral they are coming on bravely 

 through the snow ; and the blackthorns in the 

 hedges have their twigs encrusted already like coral, 

 with close clusters of tiny flower-buds in myriads. 



SPRING FEVER. 



The hares are already capering in the fields in 

 the ecstasies of their annual spring fever ; and even 

 the birds, in spite of frost and snow, tell us the same 

 story. The partridges are nearly all in pairs, although 

 the exigencies of snow-time drive many temporarily 

 into coveys. The cock-pheasant crows his midday 

 challenge against all intruders within his harem pre- 

 cincts. To see wild ducks you need not go to lake 

 or mere, where they have been gathered in winter 

 flocks. Now you may put them up, always in pairs 

 and the gentlemanly drake, always giving pre- 

 cedence to the lady in flight from any cosy corner 



