September 



And so, zigzagging and somersaulting, it continues, 

 until a sudden "Tizit!" arouses it, as one of its 

 fellows swoops at it, when both get up and make off 

 in a rough-and-tumble flight, like a pair of giddy 

 butterflies. No, there is certainly not much that is 

 lugubrious in the pied wagtail. 



At the time of the equinox a blustering sou'- 

 wester came up, blowing this way and that, with a 

 backward " suck " at times equal to a counterblast 

 from nor'-east. The leaves were whirled from the 

 trees like gadding pipits ; the pipits themselves, 

 congregated in wandering bands, were scattered in 

 the air like irresponsible leaves. Rook and starling 

 tacked and headed up to windward, and tacked 

 again, in vain endeavours to forge ahead, then 

 wheeled about and slid down the wind for a 

 breathing space in the stubble. 



For the fields were bare, and hosts of sparrows 

 searched for the remains of their recent feast among 

 the sheaves, rising in serried sheets when disturbed, 

 and taking refuge in the first hedge or tree. Song 

 and missel-thrushes abounded where the uptorn 

 potato roots had broken the ground, and one kept 

 an interested eye upon them in anticipation of the 

 arrival of their fellow thrushes, the fieldfare and 

 redwing, from the north. 



The blackbird, although he winters with us, was 

 not to be found in his usual haunts. The yellow- 

 hammer and corn-bunting, albeit also permanent 

 residents throughout the year, had been absent for 



27 



