T 3 2 
NATURE NOTES 
within, from the splitting of each stem or blade into small 
shreds by the builders’ teeth. There are often two or three 
tunnel-like entrances, according with the openings in the box. 
Though the bank vole is by no means so ready to bite when 
handled as the house mouse or long-tailed field mouse, yet 
in this instance the dam always snapped at a finger introduced 
into her nursery, as if determined to defend her young ones. 
The young bank voles begin to eat and become independent 
of their mother at an early age. I have often taken very young 
ones from cats, and they have thriven well in a cage. 
If kept strictly clean and properly attended to, scarcely 
any smell is perceptible from these little animals. They drink 
very frequently. Mine have usually been fed on brown bread, 
canary seed, maize, haws, hips, apples, chestnuts and the like, 
and for green food, of which they eat a great quantity, grass, 
plantain, sowthistle, groundsel, dandelion and many other 
plants. They will do well on bread, fresh grass and water, 
but no doubt appreciate and prefer a more varied diet. 
Blaxhall, Suffolk. G. T. Rope. 
THE CHIFF-CHAFF’S RETURN. 
Merry madcap minstrel, have you come again ? 
Come from Asia, Africa, Italy and Spain ; 
Talking all the languages of the wide world’s zone, 
But in England’s April speaking only one— 
Praise to Him Who watches you tenderly above, 
Thanks for rest, and hope of nest and little ones to love : 
From the topmost branches of the budding tree, 
Touching all the trembling air into ecstasy. 
Saying, in the brown wood leaves will soon be seen, 
Elms will flush to purple, purple pass to green ; 
Telling us the white lambs soon will frisk about, 
Celandines will flash their rays, daffodils shine out, 
Cuckoos down the valley call, clearer and more clear, 
Crakes perplex the meadow-grass, swallows flicker near. 
Merry madcap minstrel, through the sun and rain, 
Thrilling, filling all our hearts, welcome once again ! 
April 5. H. D. Rawnsley. 
