DAWS IN THE WEST COUNTRY 67 



in noble churches, and no kind of building seems 

 more attractive to the " ecclesiastical daw " than 

 the great Perpendicular tower of the Glastonbury 

 type, which is so common here. 



Of the old towns which the bird loves and 

 inhabits in numbers, Wells comes first. If 

 WeUs had no birds it would still be a city one 

 could not but delight in. There are not more 

 than half-a-dozen towns in all the country 

 where (if I were compelled to live in towns) 

 life would not seem something of a burden ; and 

 of these, two are in Somerset — Bath and Wells. 

 Of the former something wiU be said further on : 

 Wells has the first place in my affections, and 

 is the one town in England the sight of which 

 in April and early May, from a neighbouring 

 hill, has caused me to sigh with pleasure. Its 

 cathedral is assuredly the lovehest work of man 

 in this land, supremely beautiful, even without 

 the multitude of daws that make it their house, 

 and that may be seen every day in scores, looking 

 like black doves perched on the stony heads 

 and hands and shoulders of that great company 

 of angels and saints, apostles, kings, queens, and 

 bishops, that decorate the wonderful west front. 



