170 THE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS. 
of which may not be altogether uninteresting to my 
readers. 
Last summer, a few friends proposed a pic-nic 
party to spend the day in the neighbourhood of 
Hampton Court ; and, our object being to enjoy the 
pure country air, after putting up our various car- 
riages, from a poney-chaise to a landau, we strolled 
through the fields along the winding stream, till the 
air and exercise having had more effect on our ap- 
petites than all the medicine of the pharmacopoeia 
could have had, compelled us to seek a spot where 
we might be sheltered from the heat of the sun; 
preferring our sandwiches, seated on the richly en- 
amelled carpet under the ultramarine canopy pro- 
vided for us by our provident Father, to returning to 
the inn. We had not much difficulty in finding such 
a spot : a spreading oak protected us from the sun ; 
and our wine, immersed in the running stream by our 
side, was as cool as if it had just been taken out of 
the ice-house. Two or three of the party were very 
musical, and had brought with them two flutes and 
a guitar for the purpose of amusing their friends ; 
but while we were partaking of our refreshments 
