29 



happily at " The Cedars," and stroll about, making their loud 

 trumpeting cry. Grass and weeds are their favourite food. They 

 fly all over the place, but always return to the pond at night. 

 Mr. Frohawk (of The Field) wrote a long article in that paper, 

 on 5th July, 1902, about these birds, as he was very much 

 interested in their having bred here. 



The bill and feet of a gosling are greenish black. 



56. — Wild Duck {Anas Boscas). 



I have a Mallard in my collection that Frank Penn shot at 

 " The Cedars' " pond. 



57. — Wood Pigeon {Columba Palumbus). 



A rapidly increasing resident at " The Cedars/' and as 

 neither birds or eggs are interfered with, this will continue. 



On 14th May, 1899, I counted fifty on the field by the pond, 

 creeping about as if they had no legs. On 5th May, 1901, I saw 

 a Wood Pigeon sitting on its nest by the pond in a small spruce, 

 not seven feet from the ground. More like the site of a Turtle 

 Dove. 



58. — Stock Dove {Columba CBnas). 



A visitor, though I knew one pair that regularly built in a 

 hole in a dead oak at " West Lodge." For a long time we left 

 the tree on their account, although it w r as a decided eyesore, 

 being right opposite the drawing-room window. One year a cat 

 cleared them out, and added insult to injury by using the hole 

 as a nursery on her own account, so we cut the tree down. 



In an enormous old ash tree by " The Cedars' " pond, there 

 is a hole near which I have seen and heard an Owl, but on 30th 

 March, 1901, it was taken possession of by a Stock Dove. 



59. — Turtle Dove {Turtur Communis). 



On 1st June, 1908, one appeared on our "West Lodge" 

 tennis lawn. It was busy feeding on something or other. It 

 finally flew into the tall elms opposite " West Lodge," showing 

 the white tips to its tail-feathers as it flew. 



