340 DahcUcks. 



they freeze. Thrushes and blackbirds come to the 

 hedges surrounding these meadows ; the fieldfares 

 and redwings are there by hundreds, and fly up to 

 the trees if alarmed. 



The old folks say that the irrigated meadows (and 

 other open waters) do not freeze in the evening till 

 the moon rises ; a bright clear moon is credited 

 with causing the water to ' catch ' — that is, the 

 slender, thread-hke spicules form on the surface, 

 and, joining together, finally cover it. It is, of 

 course, because the water-meadows are long before 

 altogether frozen that the duck and teal come down 

 to them. When the brooks are frozen is almost the 

 only time when the dabchick can be got to rise : at 

 other times this bird will dive and redive, and 

 double about in the water, and rather be caught by 

 the spaniels than take wing. But when the ice pre- 

 vents this they will fly. Wood-pigeons go to the 

 few places that remain moist, and also frequent the 

 hawthorn bushes with the fieldfares. They seem 

 fond of trees that are overgrown with ivj', probably 

 for the berries. 



The fish are supposed to go down upon the mud ; 

 but the jacks certainly do the reverse : the}' may 

 be seen laying just beneath the ice, and apparently 

 touching it with their backs. The}^ seem partly 

 torpid. In open winters, such as we have had of re- 

 cent years, the hedge fruit remains comparatively- 

 untouched by birds : from which it would appear 

 that it is not altogether a favorite food. 



The country folk, who are much about at night 

 and natural!}^ pay great heed to the weather, are 

 persuaded that on rainy nights more shooting stars 



