4 Wild Life in a Southern County 



and a warm south wind bring forth these merry antics. 

 So like in general hue is the lark to the lumps of brown 

 earth that even at a few paces it is difficult to distinguish 

 her. Some seem always to remain in the meadows ; but 

 the majority frequent the arable land, and especially the 

 cornfields on the slopes of the downs, where they may be 

 found in such numbers as rival or perhaps exceed those of 

 any other bird. 



At first sight starlings seem more numerous ; but this 

 arises from their habit of gathering together in such vast 

 flocks, blackening the earth where they alight. But you 

 may walk a whole day across the downs and still find larks 

 everywhere ; so that though scattered abroad they probably 

 equal or exceed the starlings, who show so much more. 

 They are by no means timid, being but little disturbed 

 here : you can get near enough to watch every motion, 

 and if they rise it is only to sing. They never seem to 

 know precisely where they are going to alight — as if, 

 indeed, they were nervously particular and must find a 

 clod that pleases them, picking and choosing with the 

 greatest nicety. 



Many other birds exhibit a similar trait : instead of 

 perching on the first branch, they hesitate, and daintily 

 decline the bough not quite to their fancy. Blackbirds 

 will cruise along the whole length of a hedge before find- 

 ing a bush to their liking; they look in several times 

 ere finally deciding. Woodpigeons will make straight for 

 a tree, and slacken speed and show every sign of choosing 

 it, and suddenly, without the slightest cause apparently, 

 go half a mile farther. The partridge which you could 

 vow had dropped just over the hedge has done no such 

 thing ; just before touching the ground she has turned at 

 right angles and gone fifty yards down it. 



