AMONG THE BIRDS IN SUMMER. in 



in twelve days from the beginning of incubation, 

 and are able to leave the nest and fly twelve days 

 later still. The Skylark usually makes its nest 

 in these fields, but its young are able to fly before 

 the grass is mown. The Swallows glide up and |n all s J, in 

 down across the wavy grass, their dark metallic I2lhjul: 

 plumage glowing in the sunshine, bursting out 

 every now and then into sweetest song ; and the 

 Kestrel may oft be seen beating over the hay- 

 meadows in quest of mice. I could stand and 

 watch the aerial movements of the Kestrel by the 

 hour together. The beautiful grace which charac- 

 terises its slow and stately flight, the activity of its 

 movements, and the power and command it shows 

 in falling and rising, all fill me with genuine admira- 

 tion. This pretty Hawk lives almost entirely on 

 field-mice and insects, dropping on them so softly 

 from the sky, and bearing them off either to the 

 nesting-place or some quiet retreat where they 

 can be devoured in peace. 



When night steals softly over the meadows, 

 and the ghost-swift moths drone lazily up and 

 down from stem to stem, the Nightjar wakes and 

 leaves his daily retreat amongst the branches, or 

 the fern, to hunt up and down in quest of food. 

 He never fails to make his appearance at sunset, 

 sometimes before the tree-tops have ceased to 

 reflect the setting glory of the orb of day. You 

 may know him by his churring cry, like the rattle 

 of machinery. He is not shy, and will fly to and 

 fro before you, seizing the cockchafers and big ^ 



