64 FROM SPRING TO FALL. 



but for this reason — all the time during which 

 they are devoting their energies to the capture 

 of wild pigeons they do not go at the young game. 

 From the number of pigeons I have seen come 

 from the furze, I should imagine there were enough 

 of them to feed all the hawks in the county of 

 Surrey. Sparrow-hawks will strike at anything, 

 and when they watch for the pigeons to come 

 out from their nesting - place, if they catch sight 

 of the great heron as he flaps over the hillside, 

 his gullet filled with fish, at him they go at once. 

 The heron gets frightened, — not that they could 

 damage him much ; but out he throws some of his 

 fish, to lighten himself so that he can ring up higher, 

 and that is the reason small fish are sometimes found 

 on the hillside. 



Weasels and owls are required now to keep the 

 small deer under (but they are not to be seen ; oh, 

 the pity of it !) ; steel traps and tile traps combined 

 will not do the work they would. Where we are, the 

 mischief mice will do in gardens where choice fruit 

 is cultivated must be seen to be believed. I have 

 seen two very fine and choice cherry-trees, trained 

 on trellis-work against a sunny wall, nearly stripped 



