EARLY SPRING IN SAVERNAKE FOREST 223 



that of the wood -pigeon is, to my mind, the 

 finest, on account of its depth and human-like 

 character. And it is far from monotonous. In 

 this wood in March 1 have often kept near a 

 pigeon for half an hour at a time hearing it 

 uttering its cooing note, repeated half-a-dozen 

 or more times, at intervals of three or four 

 minutes ; and again and again the note has 

 changed in length and power and modulation. 

 In the profound stiUness, on a windless day, 

 of the vast beechen woods, these sonorous notes 

 had a singularly beautiful effect. 



After spending a short time in the forest, one 

 might easily get the idea that it is a sanctuary 

 for all the persecuted creatures of the crow 

 family. It is not quite that ; the ravens have 

 been destroyed here as in most places ; but the 

 other birds of that family are so numerous that 

 even the most bloodthirsty keeper might be 

 appalled at the task of destroying them. The 

 clearance would doubtless have been effected 

 if this noble forest had passed, as so nearly 

 happened, out of the hands of the family that 

 have so long possessed it : that calamity was 

 happUy averted. Not only are the rooks there 



