Seasonal Notes 409 



SEASONAL NOTES. 



Thoreau's suggestion, " You only need sit still long enough 

 in some attractive spot in the woods, that all its inhabitants 

 may exhibit themselves to you by turns," is not quite suitable 

 for a damp January day. It is possible, however, if position 

 favours, to see much of interest without waiting long or 

 running risk. One afternoon late in December the writer 

 entered a birch coppice armed with a pair of Zeiss binoculars, 

 and took his stand in what seemed a suitable spot and waited. 

 In a few minutes a flock of small birds very silently settled 

 into the tops of the trees, and as silently commenced feeding. 

 They were greenfinches, mostly females, and all were dining 

 off birch seeds. Their methods were easily observed through 

 the glass. The catkin was seized with one foot, usually low 

 down, and by a quick movement bent towards the twig on 

 which the bird was supporting itself with the other foot, then, 

 by another quick movement, both twig and catkin were simul- 

 taneously clutched. The birds fed with great rapidity, care- 

 fully rejecting the scales and eating only of the seeds. The 

 sodden brown leaves beneath the trees were covered with the 

 little scales which had been thrown down. Several titmice 

 arrived ; these chiefly busied themselves with an investigation 

 of some pollard oaks which grew amidst the slim and slender 

 birches. 



These birds were so restless that it was impossible to 

 observe exactly what they were doing. Probably they were 

 seeking a small fly with delicate blue wings, which was after- 

 wards seen to be present in some numbers on the fungi which 

 covered the cut surfaces of the pollards. At intervals some 

 flew up to the tops of the birches, as if desirous to know what 

 the other birds were feasting upon. But a vegetarian diet 

 was not to their liking, and, with shrill cries, they quickly 

 returned to the haunt of their natural food. 



