BIRDS IN A VILLAGE 19 



For a time I feared that I was to be just as unlucky 

 with regard to the jay, seeing that the owner of the 

 extensive beech woods adjoining the village per- 

 mitted his keeper to kill the most interesting birds 

 in it — kestrels and sparrowhawks, owls, jays, and 

 magpies. He was a new man comparatively in the 

 place and wanted to increase his preserves, but to 

 do this it was necessary first to exclude the villagers 

 — the Badgers, who were no doubt partial to phea- 

 sants' eggs. Now, to close an ancient right of way 

 is a ticklish business, and this was an important one 

 seeing that the village women did their Saturday 

 marketing in the town beyond the wood and river, 

 and with the path closed they would have two miles 

 further to walk. The new lord wisely took this into 

 consideration and set himself to win the goodwill 

 of the people before attempting any strong measures. 

 He walked in the lanes and was affable to the cottage 

 women and nice to the children, and by and by he 

 exclaimed, " What ! no institute, no hall or any 

 place where you can meet and spend the long winter 

 evenings <t Well, I'll soon see to that." And soon 

 to their dehght they had a nice building reared on a 

 piece of land which he bought for the purpose, 

 furnished with tables, chairs, bagatelle boards, and 

 all accessories ; and he also supplied them with 

 newspapers and magazines. He was immensely 

 popular but appeared to think little of what he had 



