HAUNTS OF BIRDS. 67 



ancient origin for his office, dating back to the forester 

 with a ' mark ' a year and a suit of green as his wages, 

 and numbering in his predecessors JosceHn, the typical 

 keeper in Scott's novel of ' Woodstock,' who aided the 

 escape of King Charles. Ever since the days of the 

 Norman king who loved the tall deer as if he were their 

 father — in the words of his contemporary — and set store 

 by the hares that they too should go free, the keeper has 

 not ceased out of the land. 



There are always more small birds at the edge or just 

 outside a wood than inside it ; so that after leaving a 

 meadow with blackbird, thrush, and finches merry in the 

 hedges, the wood seems quite silent and deserted save by 

 a solitary robin. This is speaking of the smaller birds. 

 The great missel-thrush especially delights in the open 

 space of the park dotted with groups of trees. The 

 missel -thrush is a lonely bird, and somehow seems like 

 an outlaw — as if, though not precisely dangerous, he was 

 looked upon with suspicion by the other birds, which will 

 frequently quit a bush or tree directly he alights upon it. 

 Yet he builds near houses, and year after year in the same 

 spot. I knew a large yew-tree which stood almost in 

 front and within a few yards of a sitting-room window in 

 which the missel-thrush had regularly built its nest for 

 twelve successive years. These birds are singularly bold 

 in defence of the nest, flying round and chattering at 

 those who would disturb it. 



