176 ANNALS OF BIRD LIFE. 



The woods in autumn contain much of interest. 



When October paints the birch coppices in brightest 



Migratory tints of yellow, the charming: little Goldcrest is 



Goldcrests * o 



October? 111 busy amongst them. Parties of these delicate 

 birds (the smallest British species) linger in them 

 a few days on their southern journey, and every 

 now and then the males burst out into sweetest 

 song. They freely fraternise with the Cole Tit 

 and Blue Tit, but frequent the slender twigs where 

 the seed- pods hang rather than the thick branches 

 and trunks which the Tits search for insect food. 

 Wonderfully tame and confiding are these pilgrim 

 Goldcrests, allowing the observer to watch their 

 every movement as they flit about the trees and 

 bushes. Many of these flocks are bound for more 

 southern regions, and only stay in those birch 

 woods on their line of flight for a week or so ; 

 other flocks break up into parties, and disperse 

 over the surrounding country. In the oak woods, 

 where the acorns chance to be the thickest, we 

 fveTSt shall be sure to meet with shy Pheasants wander- 

 November, ing beneath the trees in quest of them ; whilst in 

 the branches overhead the Jays and Rooks are 

 pulling them off the twigs. The Rook may often 

 be seen clinging to a large acorn at the extremity 

 of a slender twig, breaking it off with his own 

 weight. Our rambles through the woods will 

 reveal the departure of the summer migrants. No 

 StcL^ Iy " l n g er does the little Gray Flycatcher moodily sit 

 on the long branches that droop over the wall into 

 the pasture fields, where we saw him so constantly 



