on Pictures of Bird Life. 207


piece of primaeval fen left to us. As this is purposely a painting,

of a definite place we are given a more elaborate background to

these little birds than to most of the other subjects. Only Reed

Buntings are shown, and both birds perched in their favourite

and characteristic attitudes on growing reeds, with a soft back-

ground to show them up in their modest but pleasing plumage.

No. 5, the largest study of the lot, is of two male Pheasants, and

the nearer one is studied with care and elaboration in which we

may say Mr. Lodge surpasses himself, though it might be said

that the primaries and tail of the nearer bird are overdrawn, as

they are rather hard. In No. 6 the painter is entirely at home

with his subject, for it shows one of his favourite birds, the

Peregrine, contemplating a descent on one or other of a pack of

Grouse which, had they known their enemy was near, would

probably have kept to the protection of the ground, instead of

giving this noble bird a chance of striking them, as it always

does, in the air.


The rather bird's-eye view of a field with Pheasants in

(No. 7) is faithful to nature and unconventional in composition,

and is Mr. Lodge at the other extreme to what we see in some of

the large Falcon studies, there being much background and little

bird. In his rendering of the minute markings of feathers we

again see Mr. Lodge at his best in No. 8, which is of Partridges ;

we hardly think anyone else would bestow such pains in the

elaboration of feathers. The sense of air given in No. 9 of a

Suffolk Marsh is agreeable, and a naturalist is glad to be able to

contemplate such a scene and still keep his feet dry. A Heron,

Peewits, Mallards and numerous Dunlin are shown in a rather

chilly looking landscape.


Many of the other studies show the same characteristics as

those described above ; the scrupulous care in feather painting,

the open landscape, or perhaps no landscape at all but a sky

instead, and as space forbids me describing all the other works,

I will simply mention those which stand out most in my recol-

lection. No. 12, of Barn Owls, is soft in treatment and warm in

colour. No. 13, a large and very careful study of a Peregrine

taking flight. No. 14, a Kestrel hovering, showing exceptionally

truthful treatment of "values" and good cloud effect. No. 15.,



