CHAPTEE XI 



DBPAETING BIRDS : AN EPILOGUE 



The last days of summer slip away only too quickly, 

 and the birds slip away with them, often quite un- 

 observed. It is much easier to record the arrival of 

 birds accurately than their departure. They them- 

 selves are more active, and many of them are more 

 showy, when they come in spring ; they perform 

 their journey more rapidly, and are obviously eager 

 to reach their old summer homes. We too are apt 

 to be more alert at that time ; the few dead weeks 

 of February and early March are followed by a season 

 when all who live in the country with their eyes open 

 are daily in that state of good spirits which realised 

 expectations bring with them. But when the last 

 comer among the birds has brought up his young, 

 when the songs have ceased and the moulting has 

 begun, it may be that we fall in with the humour of 

 the birds and become less active and less keenly 

 observant. However that may be, — and I have no 

 right to speak but for myself, — it is at least true that 



