Peacock : Bird Names and Lore. 



47 



goats. Certainly it is often seen flitting- about, round, under, 

 and over them, but it is not intent on seeking the cow's udder, 

 nor the milk contained therein. Its business is quite of another 

 character altogether. Where cattle are flies abound ; the move- 

 ment of the grazing herds disturb many a fat moth and beetle 

 from amongst the long bents. It is these that the Nightjar is 

 after. Instead of being an enemy of man it is one of his best 

 friends. 



We know old men and women who yet make the sign of the 

 cross when they meet or see a solitary Magpie {Rica pica). They 

 know not why they do so ; they think it some charm that takes 

 away the evil that this meeting portends. They have no idea 

 they are praying in dumb show to the Supreme Being who 

 guideth all things for the best. These old Catholic feelings and 

 signs are now not understood, but for all that they are retained 

 by many a staunch Protestant. Our country customs, words, 

 sayings, and lore are a study that grows on one, and the more 

 we follow it up the further we find ourselves from the end of our 

 search. Truly, the tree-of-knowledge extends its branches to 

 the uttermost corners of the world and to the beginning of time. 



Some of our readers may never have noticed that the lining 

 of the various nests we come across give us in a great many 

 cases an idea of the animals, birds, and other objects that 

 inhabit a district. As an example, we have remarked that 

 round the confines and within a deer park we used to know well 

 the nests of Chaffinch, Robin, and other of the lesser birds, not 

 forgetting the Jackdaw, were as a rule lined with hairs from the 

 backs of Fallow Deer. At another spot we wot of the Red Deer 

 furnish the last layer of material. Where the roan breed of 

 cattle are to the fore the inside of the nest partakes of that 

 shade of colour within; where the dark red cattle are mostly 

 kept the lining of the nest has a chestnut appearance. We have 

 found Jackdaws' nests that were lined entirely from fur of the 

 silver-haired Rabbit ; this shows that in the neighbourhood of 

 the nesting-place the silver-haired Rabbit was the prevailing 

 breed of the locality. 



In the neighbourhood of the moors where the Red Grouse 

 flourish the nests of the Tits and the Willow Wren have quite 

 a different appearance to those of other districts, at least I have 

 often noticed this to be the case. Even our farmyard fowl can 

 be located by the feathers found in nest linings. Feathers of the 

 Guinea-fowl are great favourites with the Sparrow, so are 

 the buff and white ones from the hens. The birds that use hair 



igci February j. 



