CHAPTER V. 



SPRING-TIME ON THE MOUNTAINS. 



ALTHOUGH the glories of the spring are slow to> 

 creep over the mountains from the lower valleys, 

 there is much of interest taking place upon the 

 hills even in the very earliest days of March. 

 Winter has not yet surrendered his grasp upon 

 these upland wilds before many species of birds, 

 whose haunts are amongst them, have actually 

 commenced the great duties of the year. With 

 a forethought and a knowledge of the future 

 which we cannot help admiring, these mountain 

 birds, especially the various species of Raptores 

 and the predatory Crows and Ravens, so contrive 

 to hatch their young at a time when food for 

 them is becoming plentiful. The inexperienced 

 naturalist is apt to think that there can be little 

 of interest among the mountain-tops until the 

 very latest days of spring ; but let us stroll thither 

 this wild March morning, and take a chapter from 

 their natural history. 



Over the fields in the valley one or two Sky- 

 larks are soaring skywards, tempted into song 



