JULY 139 



upon by cattle, hence, while nesting began in March, 

 young peewits but just hatched may be seen in the 

 first week of July. The nesting season of the Heron 

 extends over fully as long a period, for there are young 

 still in the nests up to the middle of the month. 



Some birds may be called habitual late-breeders ; 

 such are the buntings and notably the Yellow- 

 hammer. The Wood Pigeon will sometimes go on 

 nesting far into the autumn. Almost as late the 

 House Sparrow sometimes rears a last brood, and 

 it is matter of common observation that Swallows 

 and House Martins often have young in the nest 

 until within a few days of their time of leaving us. 

 The Barn Owl is sometimes quite irregular in its nest- 

 ing, and will rear a family at almost any time of year. 

 One may suspect that the Wren is still breeding thus 

 late from the energy with which it scolds at a weasel, 

 a bright-eyed streak of reddish-brown rustling amongst 

 the ivy leaves on the bank. But at all seasons the 

 wren is the watchman of the woods and never fails 

 to spring his miniature rattle when suspicious char- 

 acters are abroad. Such is the sparrow-hawk which 

 at daybreak caught up a young pheasant from the 

 coops to feed its young, which, having left the nest 

 to perch near by, keep up a wailing outcry all day 

 from the larch plantation. 



Amongst thickets and on bushy hillsides we may 

 hear the hawk-like call of the young Shrikes or Butcher- 



