98 ANNALS OF BIRD LIFE. 



from their burrows in the steep banks between 

 the coverts and the open pasture-grounds. 



The sun in his blazing path across the heavens, 

 is already descending through the western sky. 

 The heat and oppressiveness of the summer day 

 are past. Gradually the various wild creatures 

 come forth, and the bustle and activity of morning 

 are renewed. Long shadows creep across the 

 fields longer and longer as the sun approaches 

 the horizon. Once more the Thrushes lead off 

 the feathered orchestra, and the crash of melody, 

 sweeter far than any organ music, peals in fitful 

 clashes, and fills the woods and groves with song. 

 Life in its endless forms musters once more into 

 review order, and flower, and insect, bird, and 

 animal, take up their places in the stirring pageant. 

 Now the slanting sunbeams play upon the gray 

 trunks of the ash trees, and light up the silver 

 bark of the beeches, and glint upon the birch 

 stems. Now and then, athwart the rays of light 

 in the open glades, the Brown Flycatcher flits in 

 chase of insects, and the Chiffchaff shouts inces- 

 santly from amongst the shimmering leaves. It 

 would be vain to attempt to catalogue all the 

 living wonders abroad during a summer evening, 

 or to enter into details ^of their various ways, in 

 the space of a chapter or even of a volume. 

 Right through the fading hours of daylight, the 

 wild inhabitants of the fields and forests are all 

 astir ; but as the sun drops down behind the 

 western woods, bird after bird hurries off to its 

 retreat, and the evening plethora of song grows 



