22 NATURE NEAR LONDON. 



height, crowding the spaces between the ash-stoles. 

 By the banks great cow-parsnips or " gix " have 

 opened their broad heads of white flowers ; teazles 

 have lifted themselves into view, every opening is 

 occupied. There is a scent of elder flowers, the 

 meadow-sweet is pushing up, and will soon be out, 

 and an odour of new-mown hay floats on the 

 breeze. 



From the oak green caterpillars slide down threads 

 of their own making to the bushes below, but they are 

 running terrible risk. For a pair of white-throats 

 or " nettle-creepers " are on the watch, and seize the 

 green creeping things crossways in their beaks. Then 

 they perch on a branch three or four yards only from 

 where I stand, silent and motionless, and glance first 

 at me and next at a bush of bramble which projects 

 out to the edge of the footpath. So long as my eyes 

 are turned aside, or half closed, the bird perches on 

 the branch, gaining confidence every moment. The 

 instant I open my eyes, or move them, or glance 

 towards him, without either movement of head, hand, 

 or foot, he is off to the oak. 



His tiny eyes are intent on mine ; the moment he 

 catches my glance he retires. But in half a minute 

 affection brings him back, still with the caterpillar in 

 his beak, to the same branch. Whilst I have patience 

 to look the other way there he stays, but again a 

 glance sends him away. This is repeated four or five 

 times, till, finally, convinced that I mean no harm, 

 and yet timorous and fearful of betrayal even in the 

 act, he dives down into the bramble bush. 



After a brief interval he reappears on the other side 



