218 NATURE IN DOWNLAND 



either to winter or to remain for some weeks or even 

 months before crossing the sea. From September 

 until November this movement and ingathering is 

 going on, untU the birds, visitors and residents, are 

 incredibly abundant and a wonder to see. This abun- 

 dance has been specially noticeable during the last 

 three or four seasons, on account of the great increase 

 in bird life throughout the country since the winter 

 of 1894-5. Since that disastrous time there have 

 been no killing frosts, and the summers have been 

 favourable for breeding, with the result that our com- 

 mon small birds have increased and multiplied to an 

 extraordinary extent. The increase is not, however, 

 confined to the small passerines ; it has been equally 

 great in the rooks and wood-pigeons, and, in a less 

 degree, in numerous other species. 



One bright day in early October, at Cocking, I 

 witnessed a pretty and amusing little comedy in bii'd 

 life, which I relate not only for the interest of the 

 incident but also to give an idea of the abundance of 

 resident birds in this part of downland. 



Cocking is one of many singularly interesting 

 villages that nestle, half-hidden, in the shelter of the 

 downs on the northern edge of the range. Out of a 

 wooded combe in the side of the sheltering hill issues 

 a stream, and where it flows or trickles past the vil- 

 lage it spreads out and forms a marsh grown over 

 with tall reed and flowering rush, in summer blue 

 with water forget-me-not and water-mint. At the 



