178 Wild Life in a Southern County. 
a long drought); and where another hedge branches 
from it is a hollow space arched over and roofed with 
boughs. Now this hedge is a favourite highway of 
birds and other wild creatures, and leads direct to 
the orchard. Most of the visitors to the house and 
garden come down it—it is one of their caravan 
routes. 
If on a summer’s morning you go and sit in the 
gateway about half-way up the hedge, partly hidden 
by a pollard ash and great hawthorn bushes, you will 
not have long to wait before you hear the pleasant 
calls of the greenfinches coming. They seem always 
to travel two or more pairs together, and constantly 
_ utter a soothing call, as if to say to their companions, 
‘ Here we are, close by, dearest.’ They all appear to 
know exactly where they are going—flitting across 
the gateway one by one, moving of one accord in the 
same direction ; and their contented notes gradually 
become inaudible as they go towards the orchard. 
The goldfinches use the same route; so do the bull- 
finches. Even the starlings, before they come to the 
house, usually perch on an ash tree in this hedge. 
There is another hedge, running parallel to it, 150 
yards distant, the end of which also approaches the 
premises, but it is comparatively deserted. You may 
wait there in vain and see nothing but a robin. 
By the same caravan route the blackbirds come 
to the garden; they, however, are not such travelling 
birds as the finches. But the tomtits are: they work 
