1058 



THE NATURE BOOK 



daffodils and jonquils ; but when the 

 flowers are gone, there is the long grass, 

 and the flower of the grass, with many 

 of those familiar pleasant weeds which 

 elsewhere are prevented by the too 

 assiduous lawn mower ; thistles and 

 dandelions, coltsfoot, sorrel, and here 

 and there the grey-green leaves and up- 

 turned eyes of the speedwell. 



Regent's Park is honourably dis- 

 tinguished amongst London gardens for 

 the unmutilated condition of its trees, 

 ^lassive horizontal limbs are allowed to 

 extend themselves even across the walks ; 

 and the soaring habit of the elm is not 

 forbidden. Topping and shrouding are 

 almost unknown, and the public are 

 liable to all the supposed danger of falling 

 trees and branches ; yet we do not hear 

 of much slaughter. 



It is good to know that the present 

 superintendent, ]\Ir. Webster — one of our 

 greatest authorities in matters of forestry 

 — has declared war against these botanical 

 Bob Sawyers, who are all for improving 

 trees into stumps. And as a number of 



metropolitan gardens, including those 

 at the Tower, the Law Courts, and the 

 Mint, are also under his charge, it may be 

 hoped that for years to come many even 

 of the old and decrepit trees of London, 

 which under less wise management would 

 have suffered, may escape the devouring 

 steel. If only Mr. Webster's arm had 

 been long enough to protect the Wood 

 Street Plane ! 



Far away lies the country, the land of 

 home ; but here are still waters of Babylon 

 to reflect the colours of evening clouds, 

 and willows whereon exiles may hang their 

 harps, and singing birds and bright flowers 

 to alle\-iate the sorrows of captivity ; 

 and, better still, the sight of so many 

 flourishing trees, pleasantly disposed in 

 long avenues and darkling groves, crown- 

 ing green hillocks and clustering at the 

 water's edge to double their beauty by 

 reflection ; whilst in the notes of the 

 birds, and the music of the wind in the 

 branches, our ears may catch sweet echoes 

 of the songs of our far-off Zion. 



Arthur Scam.mell. 



THE LONG-EARED OWL 



By BENJAMIN HANLEY 



With Photographs by the Author 



BRITAIN is rich in bird life and 

 rejoices in having many species, 

 but of all the birds classed as 

 British there are none more interesting 

 than the Owl family, and certainly none 

 so useful in destroying vermin ; yet in 

 spite of this undeniable fact they suffer 

 much persecution, mainly through ignor- 

 ance, at the hands of people who ought 

 to know better than to take the hves of 

 such useful creatures. The pot-shot 

 gunner, who delights to see birds boxed- 

 up in a glass case rather than to study 

 and watch them in their natural haunts, 

 rarely lets a chance go by of adding 

 another A-ictim to his hst should surli 



present itself ; whilst that grim gibbet of 

 the woods — the gamekeeper's vermin pole 

 — is usually adorned with one or two owls 

 as feathered trimmings to the motley 

 array of vermin, save in those cases where 

 the keeper is a man of common sense 

 and knows better than to rid himself of 

 his most useful allies. 



Not the least interesting of our Owls is 

 the Long-eared species ; in some districts, 

 contrary to what is stated by most writers, 

 this bird is even more plentiful than the 

 Barn and Brown or Wood Owls, and a 

 pair may be found in almost eveiy pine 

 wood. But as it is shy and retiring, being 

 also much quieter than the Brown Owl, 



