MOORLAND IDYLLS. 



as (according to the poet) every rood of 

 ground in England once "maintained its 

 man." One of our neighbours has three 

 lawns, terraced off in steps, and each has 

 been annexed by a particular thrush family, 

 which holds it stoutly against all comers. 

 It is a curious sight in spring, when the 

 nestlings are young, to see the parent 

 birds going carefully over the ground 

 surveying it in squares, as it were the 

 cock a little in front, the hen hopping after 

 him at some distance on one side, and 

 making sure that not an inch of the super- 

 ficial area remains unhunted. They eat 

 many snails, too, breaking the shells against 

 big stones ; and they hunt for slugs now 

 and then in the moist ditch by the road- 

 way. While the nestlings are unfledged 

 the industry of the elder birds is ceaseless ; 

 for they lay in early spring, and have to 

 rear their young while food is still far from 

 cheap or abundant. And, oh ! but it is a 

 gruesome sight to see them teaching the 



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