From Fox's Earth 



wave, each hollow, was as that before and after. 

 The flight note too was characteristic. In rising 

 on the wave, these seed birds use a single, 

 double, or treble note, as a sailor might say, 

 "Yee-ho." 



In the absence of song soprano and contralto 

 solos these flight notes are our winter music. 

 Save for the trilling redbreast, it is mainly in 

 undertones. It is all very sympathetic ; sound 

 softened to the turning down of the light. Any 

 day, and all day long, these sounds are on the 

 crisp air. The flight note of the greenfinch is 

 sweet and low, very much of the nature of an 

 undertone. The cloud was lost among the 

 stubble. 



The lighter birds left the elms. On uneven 

 and jerky wing they crossed the fence. The 

 higher waves of flight had the broken crests of 

 a gusty day. Nothing could be more unlike the 

 measured rise and dip of the greenfinch. 



As the ringing of rare bells in the air, were the 

 flight notes. Whether double or triple, let those 

 tell who can separate out a tinkling sound. This 

 ringing of bells in the linnet's throat is the most 

 charming of winter undertones. Sweet as distant 

 church bells on Christmas morn. The flock 

 drifted down among the stubble where the green- 

 finches were already busy. 



Beyond the Lomonds, the sun had dipped into 

 the Loch among the trout. Swift twilight fell. 



250 



