Birds of an Oxford College 93 



voices of wakeful water-birds by the river-side float 

 in from the heights and spaces of the outer meadows. 

 From an upper window, the growing broods in the 

 depths of the nearer walls can be heard fitfully 

 stirring and complaining under their light veil of 

 sleep. The air grows cooler in the space before 

 the dawn, and is tinged with the dew of the fields. 

 An hour passes ; then suddenly, very near at 

 hand in the darkness, a single golden strain rings 

 out and closes clearly. It is the blackbird challeng- 

 ing the dawn, according to his habit ; but after 

 his single call, for a little while the silence and the 

 darkness dwell again. While a faint gleam of 

 grey comes to the upper sky, the breeze that presages 

 the light passes coolly, and the air is once more 

 still. Then the dawn gathers fresh and clear, and 

 the larks in the meadows beyond spring singing in the 

 heavens. The blackbird waiting on the sycamore 

 bough pours out a freer stream of song, and the 

 starlings strut forth erect from their hiding-places, 

 clinking and chattering together upon the gable- 

 ridges in the clear morning light. 



