210 Wild Life in a Southern County 



the fern. These are the happy hunting grounds of the 

 weasels. 



During spring and summer — so long as the grass, 

 clover, and corn-crops are standing, and are the cover in 

 which partridges and other birds have their nests — the 

 weasels and stoats haunt the fields, being safe from obser- 

 vation (while in the crops) and certain of finding a dinner. 

 Then, if you watch by a gap in the hedge, or look through 

 a gateway into the cornfield, you may be almost certain 

 of seeing one at least ; in a morning's walk in summer I 

 have often seen two or three weasels in this way. The 

 young rabbits and leverets are of course their prey also. 

 But after the corn is cut you may wait and watch a whole 

 day in the fields and not see a weasel. They have gone 

 to the thick mounds, the covers, woods, and forests, and 

 therein will hunt the winter through. 



The stag is still feeding peacefully ; he is now scarce 

 fifty yards away, when he catches sight and is off. His 

 body as he bounds seems to keep just above the level of 

 the fern. It is natural to follow him, though of course in 

 vain ; the mead is left behind, and once more there is a 

 wall of fern on either side of the path. After a while 

 a broad green drive opens, and is much more easy to walk 

 along. But where does it go ? for presently it divides 

 into two, and then the fork pursued again branches. 

 Hush ! what is that clattering ? It sounds in several 

 directions, but nothing is visible. 



Then a sharp turn of the drive opens on a long narrow 

 grassy valley, which is. crowded with deer. Parties of 

 thirty or forty are grazing ; and yonder, farther away by 

 themselves, there must be nearly a hundred fawns. Stand- 

 ing behind a tree, it is a pleasant sight to watch them ; 

 but after a while comes back the thought, dismissed con- 



