74 THE GAMEKEEPER AT HOME. 



which some country people say resemble the words, ' Take 

 two cows, Taffy.' The same good folk will have it that 

 when the weather threatens rain the pigeon's note 

 changes to ' Joe's toe bleeds, Betty.' The boys who steal 

 the eggs have to swarm up the ashpoles for the purpose, 

 and in so doing often stain their clothes with red marks. 

 Upon the bark of the ash are innumerable little ex- 

 crescences which when rubbed exude a small quantity 

 of red juice. 



The keeper detests this bird's-nesting; not that he 

 cares much about the pigeons, but because his pheasants 

 are frequently disturbed just at the season when he wishes 

 them to enjoy perfect quiet. It is easy to tell from this 

 post of vantage if any one be passing through the section 

 of the wood within view, though they may be hidden by 

 the boughs. The blackbirds utter a loud cry and scatter ; 

 the pigeons rise and wheel about ; a pheasant gets up 

 with a scream audible for a long distance, and goes with 

 swift flight skimming away just above the ashpoles ; a 

 pair of jays jabber round the summit of a tall fir tree, and 

 thus the intruder's course is made known. But the wind, 

 though light, is still too cold and chilly as it sweeps 

 between the beech trunks to remain at this elevation ; it 

 is warmer below in the wood. 



At the foot of the cliff a natural hollow has been 

 further scooped out by' labour of man, and shaped into a 

 small cave, large enough for three or four to sit in. It is 



