GARDEN AND ORCHARD BIRD-LIFE. 59 



when other song-birds are overflowing with music. 

 The Song Thrush, by the hour together, sits and 

 sings his highly punctuated song, striving as it 

 were to outnumber all other birds in the combina- 

 tion of his notes ; whilst the Blackbird, fonder of 

 the shade, runs over his few yet brilliant flute-like 

 notes with a persistency that is sure to attract and 

 retain attention. In the orchard hedge, where the 

 brambles and briars are most densely interlaced, 

 we hear the Bullfinches timorously piping to each 

 other, and ever and anon their white backs show 

 out conspicuously as one bird follows the other in 

 waving flight down the hedge side. If we care to 

 take the trouble and peer into the thicket, their 

 rustic-looking nest with its five blue-spotted eggs 

 may be inspected ; but the hot sun and the calm 

 repose of our surroundings are not conducive to 

 exertion : the nest must wait, and we much prefer 

 to remain here in musing mood to scan the gentle 

 lovable little Creeper as he peers at us from behind 

 a moss-grown trunk. . We feel that the slightest 

 movement on our part will break the spell and 

 send him off in undulating flight amongst the 

 trees. His restless activity captivates us, and our 

 eyes follow his fly-like movements in starts and 



