114 ^i^g Ouzels ^ Water Ouzels 



he often requires carefully watching through field- 

 glasses. 



But the ring ouzel often betrays the whereabouts 

 of his nest by over-anxiety and clamorous fussiness. 

 With blackbird-like calls and much flirting of tails, 

 a pair will come round you as you trespass on their 

 ground. 



To lie still and simply watch, is a joy that the 

 ordinary unobserver of birds doesn't know. 



Just as we are told that eye hath not seen, nor ear 

 heard, the things which God has prepared for them 

 that love Him, in the future life; so, too, some in the 

 present seem to have already entered upon this inherit- 

 ance in part, which others as yet find no particular 

 delight in. 



Seeing, they see not ; and hearing, they hear not ; 

 is such a truth. 



Just as men and women with great artistic powers 

 evidently discern shades, tints, and colours which are 

 hidden to the ordinary human being, so, too, there are 

 some who in wild life and country walks will be more 

 keenly alive to birds' voices and ways, as well as to 

 beauties of flowers, concealed for the most part from 

 the tourist throng. 



Can these divine joys have entered into the spirit 

 of those who, having devoured their sandwiches and 

 drunk their ginger-pop by the banks of the Dove^ 

 or amongst the bracken and the oaks of royal 

 Windsor, or the Glens of Killicrankie, scatter their 

 grease-stained paper wrappings in vulgar confusion 

 around ? 



