324 ANNALS OF BIRD LIFE, 



the sea, the foliage in which they skulked is 

 scattered to the winds, and the evergreens stand 

 out in bold relief against the network of naked 

 branches. Yet even now birds flock to this 

 beautiful retreat from all the country-side ; it is 

 the chosen rendezvous, the grand headquarters 

 of almost every bird in the immediate neighbour- 

 hood. Nightfall here in winter time is a busy, 

 animated scene indeed. For many, many winters 

 it has been my regular nightly pleasure to see all 

 my feathered favourites safely to bed. I know 

 almost every " bedroom " of every species in this 

 highly favoured spot, where birds congregate in 

 winter in such wonderful variety and in such 

 enormous numbers. It is always an unqualified 

 source of pleasure to me to see how widely birds 

 appreciate the shelter of evergreens in winter ; 

 even an isolated yew tree or holly bush, far out 

 in the open fields, will serve as a nightly resting- 

 place for many a tired and weary songster ; the 

 tiniest of garden shrubberies will always entice 

 birds in some numbers ; then how much greater 

 is the attraction of an extensive shrubbery such 

 as this, where almost every species can find a 

 haunt suited to its habits and requirements. No 

 matter how deserted the fields and woods may 

 be of bird life, or how unpropitious the weather 

 for out-of-door observation of our feathered 

 favourites, we are sure to find them in abundance 

 among the evergreens, and their varied habits there 

 are exceptionally engaging and full of interest. 



