4 BIRDS AND MAN 



dove when flying from the spectator with a strong 

 sunlight on its upper plumage, sometimes at a dis- 

 tance of two to three hundred yards, appears of a 

 shining whiteness. 



I had been watching the birds for a couple of 

 hours, sitting quite still on a tuft of heather among 

 the furze-bushes, and at intervals they came to me, 

 impelled by curiosity and solicitude, their nests 

 being near, but, ever restless, they would never 

 remain more than a few seconds at a time in sight. 

 The prettiest and the boldest was a male, and it was 

 this bird that in the end flew to a bush within twelve 

 yards of where I sat, and perching on a spray about 

 on a level with my eyes exhibited himself to me in 

 his characteristic manner, the long tail raised, crest 

 erect, crimson eye sparkling, and throat puffed out 

 with his little scolding notes. But his colour was 

 no longer that of the furze wren : seen at a distance 

 the upper plumage always appears slaty-black ; 

 near at hand it is of a deep slaty-brown ; now it 

 was dark, sprinkled or frosted over with a delicate 

 greyish- white, the white of oxidised silver ; and 

 this rare and beautiful appearance continued for 

 a space of about twenty seconds ; but no sooner did 

 he flit to another spray than it vanished, and he was 



