Hill Blagples. 41 



chiefly on the ground — and uttering two or three 

 short notes. His plumage gives a hfe and tint to 

 the hedge, contrasting so brightly with the vegetation 

 and with other birds. His song is but a few bars 

 repeated, yet it has a pleasing and soothing effect in 

 the drowsy warmth of summer. Yellow-hammers 

 haunt the corn-fields principally, though they are not 

 absent from the meadows. 



To this hedge the hill-magpie comes : some mag- 

 pies seem to keep almost entirely to the downs, while 

 others range the vale, though there is no apparent 

 diiferenee between them. His peculiar uneven and, 

 so to say, flickering flight, marks him at a distance 

 as he jauntily journeys along beside the slope. He 

 visits everj^ fir copse and beech clump on his way, 

 spending some time, too, in and about the hawthorn 

 hedge, which is a favorite spot. Sometimes in the 

 spring, while the corn is yet short and green, if you 

 glance carefully through an opening in the bushes or 

 round the side of the gateway, ^-ou may see him busy 

 on the ground. His restless excitable nature betra3-s 

 itself in every motion : he walks now to the right a 

 couple of yards, now to the left in a quick zigzag, so 

 working across the field towards you ; then with a 

 long rush he makes a lengthy traverse at the top of 

 his speed, turns and darts away again at right angles, 

 and presentl}^ up goes his tail and he throws his head 

 down with a jerk of the whole bod}^ as if he would 

 thrust his beak deep into the earth. This habit of 

 searching the field apparentl^^ for some favorite grub 

 is evidence in his favor that he is not so entirely 

 guilty as he has been represented of innocent blood : 

 no bird could be approached in that way. All is 



