NATURE NEAR LONDON 2c~Z3g 



One particular field was completely covered with 

 it, and scarcely a clover field in the neighbourhood 

 was perfectly free. But though drawing the sap 

 from the clover plants the latter grew so vigorously 

 that little damage was apparent. After a while the 

 broom rape disappeared, but the clover shot up 

 and afforded good forage. So late as the beginning 

 of October a few poppies flowered in it, their 

 bright scarlet contrasting vividly with the green 

 around, and the foliage above fast turning brown. 



The flight of the jay much resembles that of 

 the magpie, the same jaunty, uncertain style-, so 

 that at a distance from the flight alone it would be 

 difficult to distinguish them, though in fact the 

 magpie's longer tail and white and black colours 

 always mark him. One morning in July, standing 

 for a moment in the shade beside a birch copse 

 which borders the same road, a jay flew up into 

 the tree immediately overhead, so near that the 

 peculiar shape of the head and bill and all the 

 plumage was visible. He looked down twice, and 

 then flew. Another morning there was a jay on 

 the ground, searching about, not five yards from 

 the road, nor twenty from a row of houses. It was 

 at the corner of a copse which adjoins them. If 

 not so constantly shot at the jay would be anything 

 but wild. 



Notwithstanding all these magpies and jays, the 



