Blackthorn and Woodbine. 199 



what to them must seem a terrible risk for the sake 

 of gratifying their taste. 



The wood-pigeons are fond of acorns, and come for 

 them to the oaks growing in an irregular row along 

 the hedge at the top of the home-field. They are 

 most voracious birds and literally cram their crops 

 with this hard fruit. Squirrels and mice enjo}' the 

 nuts in Hazel Corner, and the thrashes and pigeons 

 feed on the peggles which cover the great hawthorn 

 bush there so thickly as to give it a reddish tint. 

 There is a difference even in this fruit : on some 

 bushes the peggles consist mainly of the internal 

 stone, the edible coating being of the thinnest. On 

 others the stone is embedded in a thick mellow 

 covering affording twice as much food. Like other 

 products of the hedge, they are supposed to be im- 

 proved by frost. 



Farther down the highway hedge, by the gateway, 

 a large elder bush, or rather tree, bears a profusion 

 of berries. Blue-black sloes adhere to — the}- do not 

 hang on — the blackthorn bushes : in places the 

 boughs are loaded with them. Here and there crabs 

 cling to the tough crab tree, whose bark has a dull 

 gloss on it, something like dark polished leather. 

 Bunches of red berries shine on the woodbine : fruit 

 growing in bunches usually depends, but these are 

 often on the upper side of the stalk ; and the latter 

 bloom shows by them — flower and fruit at the same 

 time. The berry has a viscous feel. 



Larger berries — some red, some green, on the 

 same bunch — cluster on the vines of the br3^ony. 

 The white br3^ony, whose leaf is not unlike that of 

 the grape, has a magical reputation, and the cottage 



