42 
XATURE XOTES 
This is a cheerless thought ; but to-day I dismiss it and 
wander down the woodland path toward the gate that leads into 
the meadow. The harsh scream of the wary jay grates on the 
ear, but the melodious trills of the chiff chaff, mingled with the 
jolly prattle of the tits, carry one back in thought to the swelling 
harmony of early spring. A large fritillary butterfly floats airily 
down the glade with its easy uncertain motion, then on and away 
above the flowers and bushes, over the tops of the oaks. That 
clear resonant “ twit twit” comes from the “ little instrumental 
throat ” of the nuthatch, a bird both interesting and beautiful, 
and luckily very common in wooded districts. Look carefully, 
and you will presently catch sight of his gaudy coat of blue and 
yellow, as he runs up and down the branches of the tree, wood- 
pecker fashion, catching up an insect from here and there between 
the bark as he goes. A weasel slinks across from one bush to 
another and disappears ; a despicable little skulk is the weasel, 
though plucky, for all that, when hard pressed. 
So there is wild life in England still, but enjoy it while ye 
may, for the times are changing and so are we, and all things 
in them. Already the fox has left these parts, and the red deer 
is but rarely seen ; the only badger holt, a big burrow at the 
other end of the woods, has long been deserted, but the bottom 
of the old ash tree, where these bear-like creatures used to 
scrape and clean their feet in wet weather, tells the tale on its 
torn and muddied bark of their former presence. The squirrel, 
however, is common enough. How this sprightly imp jumps 
and scuttles among the trees — especially when frightened ! 
occasionally it stops, and immediately, as if by magic, dis- 
appears. But in a moment or so the patient observer will see 
it again, or rather a part of it. For out jerks the little brown 
head with its wee brown eyes, out from behind the tree trunk 
where he is concealed ; but almost as quickly it withdraws the 
pretty face, and then, probably, unseen to us makes off and does 
Its best to keep out of sight for the rest of the day. A coquette, 
perverse yet charming ! 
The dormouse, too, is often viewed towards evening pattering 
over the fallen leaves “ with bickering brattle,” or stealing the 
nuts from the hazels in bold security. 
This is the end of the wood ; leaning on the gate I stay and 
take my fill of beauty undisturbed. Far away down in front (for 
the wood lies on the slope of a hill) stretches a great valley, in 
shape like some huge trough or empty hulk, and down its middle 
runs a narrow river. Its banks are thickly clothed in firs and 
dense Scots pines; then in a serried crowd rank after rank they 
creep up the valley’s side, till on the highest ridge their conic tops 
stand out against the sky like jagged peaks of lofty crags. The 
little river itself, as soon as it enters this Happy Valley, seems 
awed by the exceeding beauty of the spot, and flows through it 
with calm waters and a straight course down to the place now 
hidden from view, whence, when the wind is low, the sound 
