118 HALF- HOURS IN THE GREEN LANES. 



their descendants have grown accustomed to them, 

 and aware that they do not threaten their life or 

 limb. Similarly we find that the martins and 

 swallows, which, when telegraph wires were first 

 stretched, were often fonnd dead, having killed 

 tnemselves by flying against the wires, have now 

 learned to know them, so that few accidents occur 

 among them. 



The Moor-hen (Gallinula cliloropus) is too well 

 known to need description. Its nest may be 

 found in the middle of the thick rushes fringing 

 the tarn, the eggs being of a reddish-white colour, 

 spotted with orange-brown. It is a pretty sight to 

 see the young frolicking in the water with the 

 mother, and equally worthy of notice to see how 

 they separate, and squat among the reeds and 

 plants when disturbed. The Coot (Fulica aim) is a 

 larger bird, and may at once be identified by the 

 naked patch in front of the head and the pink- 

 coloured beak. 



Emigrants tell us there are few sounds they miss 

 so much in distant lands as the song of the lark and 

 the cry of the cuckoo. We can readily understand 

 this, for both these birds are associated with the 

 early summer the most charming season, in our 

 opinion, of the whole year. The Cuckoo is one of 

 the most familiar of all our birds, as regards its call, 

 not so, however, as regards its appearance, for we 

 have seen some strange blunders made concerning it. 

 The cuckoo is a true climbing bird, it and the \vood- 



