184 NATURE NEAR LONDON. 



with the exception of a few oaks, they have dis- 

 appeared, passing on towards the west. The fieldfares, 

 too, as I have previously observed, do not stay. But 

 missel-thrushes seem more numerous near town than 

 in the country. 



Every mild day in November the thrushes sing ; 

 there are meadows where one may be certain to hear 

 the song thrush. In the dip or valley at Long Ditton 

 there are several meadows well timbered with elm, 

 which are the favourite resorts of thrushes, and their 

 song may be heard just there in the depth of winter, 

 when it would be possible to go a long distance on the 

 higher ground without hearing one. If you hear the 

 note of the song thrush during frost it is sure to rain 

 within a few hours ; it is the first sign of the weather 

 breaking up. 



Another autumn sign is the packing (in a sense) of 

 the moorhens. During the summer the numerous 

 brooks and ponds about town are apparently partially 

 deserted by these birds ; at least they are not to be 

 seen by casual wayfarers. But directly the winter gets 

 colder they gather together in the old familiar places, 

 and five or six, or even more, come out at once to 

 feed in the meadows or on the lawns by the water. 



Green plovers, or peewits, come in small flocks to 

 the fields recently ploughed; sometimes scarcely a 

 gunshot from the walls of the villas. The tiny golden- 

 crested wrens are comparatively numerous near town 

 the heaths with their bramble thickets doubtless suit 

 them ; so soon as the leaves fall they may often be 

 seen. 



