24 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES. 



by its slate-gray back and underparts below the 

 throat, the remainder of the plumage being similar 

 to that of the Carrion Crow in colour. 



There is also much of interest going on among 

 the birds round about the homesteads, especially 

 in winter. For then does not the neat, dainty 

 ROBIN visit the doorsteps for his portion of 

 scattered crumbs ; and the HEDGE ACCENTOR 

 forgets his retiring ways and comes out into the 

 open, flitting about the barn-door, and in and out 

 among the heaps of wood in the stackyard. 

 Indeed, the latter place is a highly favoured haunt 

 of birds, especially when the fields are deep in 

 snow. There the BUNTINGS and the FINCHES 

 congregate, picking up the scattered grain and 

 frequenting the manure- heaps in a mixed and 

 lively throng. Here in the short twilight of the 

 winter evenings the noisy chirping SPARROWS 

 congregate, sitting in rows upon the buildings 

 and the trees behind the stables, dropping down 

 singly or in twos and threes, one after the other, 

 and nestling in the cosy sides of the hayricks or 

 under the thatch of the cornstacks. And well 

 into the dusk the tiny WREN, after chattering 

 noisily enough for half an hour or more in the 

 neighbouring hedge, flits quickly into the stack- 

 side like a swirling leaf, into a safe and warm 

 retreat even on the coldest nights. The ivy grow- 

 ing up the house-side is also another night retreat, 

 and amongst its glossy perennial foliage not only 

 Sparrows and other Finches nestle, but BLACK- 

 BIRDS and THRUSHES and even TITMICE repair for 

 shelter from the elements. Many exciting hours 

 have I spent in netting these places at night 

 bat-lowling in the darkness to acquaint myself 



