208 HEY: A WOODLAND TRAGEDY. 
Endromias morinellus (L.). Dotterel. May zoth. The 
same shepherd sent up word that he had seen a considerable 
‘trip’ of Dotterel near the same place on Sunday evening the 
20th. I went into the marsh as early as I could on Monday 
morning, but did not find them, or anywhere about in the neigh- 
bourhood; the season being so advanced they had probably 
gone forward at once. I am afraid these beautiful and now 
scarce visitors are still, notwithstanding the Bird Act and close 
times, much persecuted when they appear. I have heard of 
several having been shot this spring, but forbear mentioning the 
special localities. It is to be hoped that the Act may be 
enforced in the future, by local authorities who become cognisant 
of the circumstances. 
fEgialitis hiaticula (L.). Ringed Plover. May 21st. There 
were large numbers of these and Dunlin in summer plumage 
on the Humber muds this morning, also a few Curlew and one 
Godwit. I could find none on the coast on the 22nd. 
A WOODLAND TRAGEDY. 
. agp walking on the western edge of Forge Valley, near S ngee Hill. 
old wall bounds the corn fields from the valley, and und its mossy 
ie ‘ 
aved parent inde; ¢ the words of Tennyson rose instinctively to my lips, ‘ The 
whole little wood where I sit is a world of plunder and prey.’ I passed on 
rough the waving ferns and budding thistles, and for long the note of the 
i i fro i piteou borne to 
b 
jumph song and made it jar upon the heart. Will the weasel return day after 
as to that nest and take another nee: a another, mee - are fhe whol 
e 
eation groaneth and travaileth in outs toget jac er until no see Co mmunion 
pr tia is not pe rss solace.—W, C. Hey, June 23rd, 1892. 
sine es 
Naturalist, 
