122 
NATURE NOTES 
their brilliant hue. The wood had so many attractions for me 
that spring morning that I found it very hard to hasten my 
steps. Two rabbits were at play among the brushwood, and I 
could distinctly hear the cuckoo’s note as he flew continually 
from tree to tree. As I left the wood for the land, a pheasant 
walked majestically across my path. No doubt its little hen 
was sitting patiently on her eggs close by. Being on the ground 
the eggs are always in great danger, for weasels, stoats and rats 
spare neither eggs nor offspring. On entering a green lane close 
by I perceived a gipsy encampment, and very picturesque did 
they look preparing their midday meal. Their fire was kindled, 
and over it their kettle was hung between three sticks. A girl 
of about sixteen was kneeling before the fire. Handsome in the 
style of her race, her dark hair was hanging loosely about her 
shoulders, and she had a red shawl wrapt carelessly round her. 
The gipsies’ tents looked dark like the canvass of a barge, and 
were dotted about on the common by the side of the lane. The 
coloured dresses of the women mingling with the golden furze 
made a very gay picture. As I continued my walk along the 
lane I was surprised at the quantity of life in the hedges. 
Sparrows were everywhere, fields and lanes alike. Chaffinches 
and greenfinches were also very plentiful. The thick hedge on 
my right was evidently a favourite resort of blackbirds. They 
are very fond of the spring on account of the showers, and as 
some large raindrops began to fall, I could hear several whistling 
in some elms close by. They chose these elms as there were not 
many oaks, for the oak is the blackbird’s favourite tree. 
There were some cornfields on the other side of the hedge ; 
up to April the birds come in flocks to feed on the newly sown 
grain, but then the great business of nesting begins. It is, 
however, only by degrees that the flocks break up. Particular 
pairs may have nests, and yet most of the species may be flying 
in packs. As I continued my walk, I could not resist passing 
into a copse by the side of the road, and in this retired spot I 
resolved to eat my lunch seated on a peeled tree, from whence 
arose a sweet odour of sap. I soon found I had chosen a perfect 
resting place. A nightingale was singing beautifully to his mate 
who was sitting on her nest of dry hay and leaves close by. 
These birds are very constant in their tastes, and I wondered 
how many years these two had built in this copse. I soon found 
that nightingales were not the only inhabitants of this place, 
for I saw a tiny brown mouse climbing up a blackthorn bush, 
perhaps for the young birds. Mice will be very plentiful as the 
summer advances. Everything around speaks of fresh life. A 
green pond in a meadow close by was full of tadpoles, and two 
green frogs were croaking by the side. This pond is surrounded 
by brambles, among which some rabbits were at play. In this 
meadow there was a flock of sheep ; young lambs were frisking 
