THE LAP OF PROSERPINE 



HEN leisure allowed, I have watched the 

 , more obvious life of our lanes and fields 

 from month to month, and so gleaned a 

 little sheaf that may tempt shrewder ob- 

 servers to better scrutiny and closer seeking. 



During January I walked among the lanes, and 

 there was hushed flight of starlings above me and 

 merry convocation where they dried themselves in 

 a sunny hedgerow after bathing. They chattered, 

 and puffed their throat feathers and, lifting up their 

 long beaks, uttered whistles of thanksgiving to the 

 sun. They were wintering bravely, and knew it in 

 every metal-shining, speckled feather of them. 



At this time I found the plump pillows of the moss 

 serving as cradles for the spore of the ferns, and 

 everywhere from green cushions in sheltered nooks 

 sprang forth tiny fernlets in the early stage of their 

 strange alternate generation. Seen thus, it tasks a 

 botanist to know their names ; but the hart's-tongue's 

 offspring seemed to my sight distinct ; and along 

 I 113 



