THE LIBRARY

OF

THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA

PRESENTED BY

PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND
MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID

THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES

THE

BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES

A Companion for the Country

BY

CHARLES DIXON,

AUTHOR OF
"RURAL BIRD LIFE," "EVOLUTION WITHOUT NATURAL SELECTION,"

!OUR RARER BIRDS," "ANNALS OK BIRD LIFE," " IDLE HOURS WITH NATURE,

"STRAY FEATHERS FROM MANY BIRDS," ETC.
PART AUTHOR OF (IA HISTORY OF BRITISH BIRDS."

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY A. T. EL WES.

LONDON : CHAPMAN AND HALL,

LIMITED.

1891.

[All rights reserved.}

CHARLES DICKENS AND EVANS,
CRYSTAL PALACE I'SESS.

PREFACE.

THE present little volume must be looked upon as an
introduction to the study of Field Ornithology, rather
than as an exhaustive treatise on the habits of Birds. It
has been written with the earnest endeavour to supply
what I believe to be a wide-felt want — a handy book
about British Birds, so arranged that these creatures
may be readily identified in the various haunts they
affect. In a subject of this nature the identification of
the species is the most important item ; and this I
have tried to render easy by directing the observer's
attention to whatever is most likely to attract his notice,
or to be impressed upon his mind — the notes, the general
appearance, or peculiarity of habit, being seized upon
to introduce the birds to him. Then, having once done
that, I have sought still further to stimulate his interest
in them by supplying some of the most salient features
in the economy of each. The vast extent of the subject
prevents much detail being given ; but I venture to
assert that when the student has mastered the infor-
mation furnished he cannot fail from being fairly well

vi PREFACE.

conversant with the habits, notes, and appearance of
the birds that regularly inhabit our country.

Of the pleasure derived during the process of ac-
quiring this information concerning our feathered
friends, it would be impossible to speak with any
exaggeration of its intensity. Of all living creatures
that in the wilds do dwell, Birds appeal most forcibly
to our notice. They are the most apparent wild
creatures of our rambles, and not only so, they are
universal in their distribution. No description of
scenery is devoid of Birds ; they are alike the life of
the wilderness, and the charm of more homely country.

The labour of designing and writing the following
pages has been no light one ; but if it be the humble
means of drawing a few fresh students within the
charmed circle of Field Ornithology — if it be the means
of smoothing away some of the difficulties that beset
the novice, then that labour will ever be recalled as a
genuine pleasure. With the cordial hope that the
reader may experience both pleasure and profit by the
perusal, I now leave the " Birds of our Rambles " to his
sympathetic consideration.

CHARLES DIXON.

6, Inoatestone Terrace,

Warren Road, Torquay.

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTORY

RAMBLE I.

ROUND ABOUT THE HOMESTEADS, THE HIGHWAYS,
AND THE ROCKS.

House Sparrow, Starling, House Martin, Barn Swallow,

Swift, Barn Owl, Jackdaw, Hooded Crow, etc. . i r

RAMBLE II.

IN GARDEN, PARK, AND SHRUBBERY.

Rook, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Missel-Thrush, Redwing,
Fieldfare, Hedge Accentor, Robin, Redstart, Spotted
Flycatcher, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Lesser White-
throat, Wren, Nuthatch, Blue Titmouse, Coal Tit-
mouse, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Hawfinch, Goldfinch,
Brambling, Wood Lark, Wryneck, etc. . . .26

viii CONTENTS.

RAMBLE III.

ALONG THE LANES AND HEDGEROWS.

Red-backed Shrike, Whitethroat, Grasshopper Warbler,
Yellow Bunting, Girl Bunting, Chaffinch, Lesser
Redpole, Long-tailed Titmouse, Marsh Titmouse,
etc. . .--.,-

RAMBLE IV.

ACROSS THE OPEN FIELDS AND DOWNS.

Wheatear, Whinchat, Tree Pipit, Yellow Wagtail, Sky-
lark, Common Bunting, Partridge, Red-legged Par-
tridge, Quail, Land Rail, etc. . . , . , 68

RAMBLE V.

THROUGH THE WOODS.

Willow Wren, Chiffchaff, Wood Wren, Nightingale,
Creeper, Nuthatch, Goldcresr, Siskin, Common
Crossbill, Crested Titmouse, Great Titmouse, Mag-
pie, Jay, Carrion Crow, Great Spotted Woodpecker,
Green Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker,
Ring Dove, Stock Dove, Turtle Dove, Pheasant,
Capercaillie, Woodcock, Heron, Tawny Owl, Long-
eared Owl, Kestrel, Sparrow-Hawk, Common Buz-
zard, Hobby, Honey Buzzard, etc.

CONTENTS. ix

RAMBLE VI.

BY LAKES AND STREAMS.

PAGE

Gray Wagtail, Pied Flycatcher, Common Sandpiper,
Red-necked Phalarope, Osprey, Red-throated Diver,
Black-throated Diver, Dipper, Kingfisher, Reed
Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Pied Wagtail, Reed
Bunting, Sand Martin, Moorhen, Coot, Little Grebe,
Pintail, Wigeon, Garganey, Shoveller, Teal. Pochard,
Tufted Duck, Heron, etc. . . . . .119

RAMBLE VII.

ON THE MOORS, THE COMMONS, AND THE HEATHS.

Red Grouse, Ring Ousel, Twite, Meadow Pipit, Cuckoo,
Merlin, Rough-legged Buzzard, Short-eared Owl,
Golden Plover, Curlew, Common Snipe, Dunlin,
Richardson's Skua, Great Skua, Wild Duck, Gray-
Lag Goose, Stonechat, Linnet, Dartford Warbler,
Nightjar, Stone Curlew, Black Grouse, Lapwing, etc. 143

RAMBLE VIII.

UP THE MOUNTAINS.

Ptarmigan, Dotterel, Greenshank, Snow Bunting, Golden

Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Hen Harrier, etc. . . 170

,-,*

x CONTENTS.

RAMBLE IX.

OVER THE BROADS AND SWAMPS.

I'AGE

Bearded Reedling, Short-eared Owl, Marsh Harrier,
Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Bittern, Little
Bittern, Water Rail, Spotted Crake, Baillon's Crake,
Great Crested Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Sclavonian
Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Black-headed Gull,
Jack Snipe, etc. . . . . . . . 186

RAMBLE X.

ALONG ROCK-BOUND COASTS.

Peregrine Falcon, Rock Pipit, Chough, Raven, Rock
Dove, Guillemot, Razorbill, Black Guillemot, Puffin,
Kittiwake, Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-
backed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Fulmar
Petrel, Eider Duck, King Eider Duck, Red-breasted
Merganser, Goosander, Cormorant, Shag, Gannet,
etc. 205

RAMBLE XL

BY SANDY SHORES.

Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Oystercatcher, Sheldrake,
Lesser Tern, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Arctic
Tern, Manx Shearwater, Stormy Petrel, Fork-tailed
Petrel, Knot, Curlew Sandpiper, Turnstone, Sander-
ling, Purple Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whim-
brel, Gray Plover, etc 231

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

ALONG ROCK-BOUND COASTS . . Frontispiece.

PAGE

ROUND ABOUT THE HOMESTEADS . . . . .II

IN GARDEN, PARK, AND SHRUBBERY . .26

THE OPEN FIELDS ..... .68

THROUGH THE WOODS ...

ON THE .MOORS ... • 143

UP THE MOUNTAINS . .170

OVER THE BROADS . . . . . l86

THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES,

INTRODUCTORY.

THERE can be no doubt whatever that the
steadily increasing popularity of Natural History,
the constantly spreading taste for seeing and
studying the wondrous works of Nature, is almost
exclusively due to the ease with which such plea-
sant pursuits may now be indulged in. Twenty
years ago we had few guides to conduct us
through the woods and fields, and explain their
wonders to us ; whilst inducements to take up
this or that branch of outdoor science were small.
Nowadays the student is furnished with accurate
and brightly written handbooks to almost every
branch of natural knowledge, which not only
enable him to note and investigate with intelli-
gence, but stimulate him to original work, and
render his rambles fruitful in personal observa-
tion. No longer are the insects, the flowers, and
the trees so many nameless objects ; each may
now, under some author-naturalist's guidance, be
identified, their habits told, their uses explained.
But, curiously enough, we have not a single in-
telligible guide to the most attractive creatures

2 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

of all — the Birds that flit to and fro around us,
or make our wanderings in the wilderness glad
with their song. Books on Birds are plentiful
enough, some of them reliable, the work of men
famous for their knowledge ; others the com-
pilations of writers whose Ornithology is weak.
Most of these works are too large and too
cumbersome to make outdoor companions of;
none are handy enough for ready reference at
the moment when some possibly unknown bird
appears, and the ignorant observer is anxious to
identify it at once, and learn some particulars of
its habits and economy. Many are the fascinating
volumes dealing with the fauna of the woods and
fields, and the wonders of the shore ; yet in all
the Birds only receive passing notice, and just the
information required is either omitted altogether,
or becomes useless because it is not easy of
reference.

Now, with regard to Birds. I am often asked
by would-be observers what birds are to be met
with in such and such a locality. " I expect to
visit the moors : " "I am going for a stroll in the
woods;" or "We are off to the coast"-— just as
the case may be — " Now what birds am I likely
to meet with there ? " are remarks I have had
addressed to me times without number by friends
and acquaintances, whose knowledge of Ornitho-
logy has been nil, although they have been fired
with the wish to know the birds they might meet
with, and were anxious not only to name them,
but to learn all about them. Or, on the other
hand, I have been repeatedly buttonholed by some
aspiring bird-lover, who having been his rambles
among the birds comes back full of information

INTRO D UCTOR Y. 3

concerning the doings of this bird or that, and
is eager to know the names and more about the
habits of species that have impressed themselves
upon his mind. This oft-repeated catechising has
resulted in the present volume.

The two great things to be aimed at in a
work of this kind are ready means of identification
and judicial assignment of species to localities
where they are most characteristic. A man with
little or absolutely no knowledge of birds wants to
be able quickly to identify them as they come
before him ; and before going for his ramble it is
therefore always best to learn what species are
likely to be found — to gain some knowledge of
their notes and appearance which will make the
task of determining them a mere rehearsal of
what he has already committed to memory. To
obtain this necessary information means wading
through entire volumes, and even then it will be
of little practical service. The following chapters
furnish the required knowledge. I have divided
my pages into eleven rambles, which embrace
every kind of scenery — from the mountain-top to
the rock-bound coast or sandy shore ; from the
bare moors to the deep shady woods ; from the
fields and downs to the gardens and shrubberies ;
from the homesteads and highways to the hedge-
rows and the rocks ; from mountain pools and
streams to lowland Broads and lakes.

Here, among these diversified haunts, all the
wild birds of our country may be met with (the
rare and accidental visitors, of course, being
omitted) ; but in studying these birds the observer
must always bear in mind the following facts.
Birds are constantly changing their ground, and

B 2

4 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

haunts frequented at one season are deserted at
another. Most birds are migratory ; even if they
do not quit our islands entirely, a very consider-
able journey is undertaken by many birds from
one district to another. Thus some species winter
on our low-lying shores and breed in the far
north of Scotland ; others frequent the coasts in
winter and repair to the moors in summer ; some
are more arboreal and solitude-loving in summer,
more homely in winter ; with others a strongly
marked movement takes place, and the wilder
country is deserted for more cultivated districts at
that period. Again, even among our commonest
birds, a great change of habitat is noticeable
according to season. In winter some of these
species habitually frequent the open fields which
in summer are not usually found upon them ;
others desert these places and betake themselves
to .shrubberies and woods. All these little facts
must be borne in mind by the reader of the
following pages, who will find them alluded to
in greater detail as the several species are dealt
with. So far, therefore, as practicable I have
made the birds that breed in each locality, or
those that frequent them regularly in winter, the
most representative species. But then there are
many birds that dwell in several of these haunts.
For instance, we may find the Blackbird in the
shrubbery, the hedgerow, the highway, or the
garden, or even on the moors ; we may note the
Robin in the woods and the Magpie in the
orchard, the Jay in the garden and the Willow
Wren in the lanes and coppices. It is absolutely
impossible to lay down a hard-and-fast rule for
the habitat of many species ; but it may be re-

INTRODUCTORY. 5

marked that certain localities are always, in hunt-
ing parlance, a " safe find " for the birds I have
included. Again, at the end of each " ramble "
I have been careful to specify all these what we
may aptly class as "intruding species." On the
other hand, there are birds that stamp their indi-
viduality on certain haunts, rarely or never
wandering from them. The Red Grouse and
the Ring Ousel are birds of the moors alone ;
the Ptarmigan ever keeps to the mountain-tops,
the Rock Pipit to the coast, the Guillemots and
Razorbills to the ocean cliffs, the Eagles to the
Highland hills.

The observer will also find, especially during
the periods of the spring and autumn migration,
certain places swarming with birds that are
seldom or never seen in them at any other time.
Coast birds then visit inland waters ; field and
woodland birds the coast, on their way to usual
haunts. Many a time, for instance, the wilderness-
loving Peregrine takes up his quarters in a
crowded city, spreading terror through all the
dovecots and poultry-runs ; and during long-
protracted frosts and snowy weather, numbers of
birds are driven from accustomed habitats to
districts where food may be obtained. Perhaps
it may be thought that many species have been
included in this volume that have small claim to
be regarded u birds of our rambles." But I have
always tried to err on the side of inclusion rather
than of omission ; for nothing is more disap-
pointing to a student than to search his handbook
in vain for an account of some rarer species of
which fortune may have favoured him with a
glimpse.

6 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

A word now as to the identification of birds.
This is always the one grand stumbling-block
over which the novice comes to grief. " What-
ever could that bird have been ? " " What species
is that ? " are oft-repeated exclamations to himself
as he walks along. Even the after aid of a more
skilful ornithologist is of little avail ; for nothing
is more difficult than to endeavour to name a bird
from the vague description given of it by an
amateur. It is, however, worse than useless to
give a long minute description which the student
must follow in bewildering detail, with the bird
itself in his hand, to render it of service. Besides,
he who is anxious to study the ways of birds, does
not wish to destroy these pretty creatures, for
their greatest charm vanishes with life. I have
endeavoured to overcome as much of this diffi-
culty of, and drawback to personal observation as
possible, by giving as close an imitation of the
call-notes of the birds met with, as can be given
in a written description or expressed in words.
Or, in addition to this, in many cases the
peculiarities of plumage have been described as
tersely as possible ; a rough likeness of the bird,
as it fitfully appears at a distance where all the
smaller details of its colours are lost. The actions
of many species render identification easy ; and
wherever these little peculiarities are sufficiently
marked to be of service I have availed myself
of this means of introducing my birds to the
observer's notice. At the end of each "ramble,"
a list of the species met with arranged in order of
sequence will also, I hope, help the student to ac-
quire a rapid knowledge of birds ; for here .may be
found at a glance their call-notes, whether they are

INTROD UCTOR Y. 7

migratory or resident (in the sense of crossing the
seas), and if the former the period of their stay with
us ; together with the prevailing colours of their
plumage.

With an only too vivid remembrance of the
difficulties I met with in my early days among
the birds, I have sought to make the present
work as practical and full of assistance as possible.
I can recall to mind, even after the lapse of five-
and- twenty years, the obstacles that beset me,
and the many difficulties I had to overcome
before I became even tolerably expert in field
ornithology. My library was almost limited to
Waterton's charming " Essays," and his still more
charming "Wanderings" — books that never failed
to fascinate me more and more each time I opened
them. With White's " Selborne," Jardine's
" Naturalist's Library," and Yarrell's more am-
bitious volumes, I was also familiar ; yet in none
of these books could I find just the exact help I
wanted — consequently my knowledge had to be
slowly acquired by personal experience ; and very
proud I used to feel as bird after bird became
known to me, and I was able to name the different
species with whose habits I was already well
acquainted.

A word as to the geographical distribution of
the " birds of our rambles." It need scarcely be
remarked that upon the locality in which they
are taken depends a great deal the species that
will be met with. For instance, no matter how
closely we may search the western and northern
woods, we shall never meet with the Nightingale
in them ; or however much we seek on southern
coasts for the Eider Duck during the breeding

8 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

season, we shall seek in vain. We may ramble
through woods in one part of the country and
never find birds that are common enough in these
situations in another part. Our rambles, then,
must be undertaken with a certain amount of dis-
crimination. It is not fair, however, to suppose
that the student is posted up in the distribution
of British birds generally, and therefore I have
appended, in a marginal note, a rough idea of the
bird's geographical habitat in our islands, so that
the reader, as each species is dealt with, may see
at a glance whether his own district is likely to be
favoured with the presence of that bird or not.
I ought just to add that the expression " widely
distributed " means that the species may be met
with almost universally throughout the British
Islands in all suitable districts. The expression
"English type" means birds that are fairly
dispersed over England and Wales in suitable
localities, but are absent from Scotland or Ireland,
or only known there as very rare or accidentally.
Where the word " principally " is used, it implies
that the bird is found in Scotland, but much more
locally than in England. When " eastern " is added,
it means that the bird is absent from, or rare in
Wales, and becomes much rarer in the extreme
S.W. or W. of England.

As regards the mere pleasures of these rambles,
it would be difficult indeed to overestimate them.
If Birds be the object of our quest, our rambles
never need be lonely and profitless. By sea and
shore, this feathered company is ever engaging.
The little Wren, carolling his song among the
bushes, is just as charming to me as the Eagle on
the mountains ; I can find as much pleasure with

INTRO D UCTOR Y. 9

the homely birds in park and garden, as with
those of more distinguished presence and greater
rarity. Birds are always interesting, always
beautiful, and always present. Go where we will,
ramble where we may, the birds are ever with us,
in air, on earth and sea. No matter what the time
or season, the interest of their movements never
wanes. Be it the season of their courtship or the
hour of their song, the days of their nest-building
or the period of their family cares, the time of
their journeys to and fro, their comings and
their goings, singly and silent, or in noisy throng,
by daylight or by darkness, it is ever the same,
their actions and their handiwork fascinate and
charm us more than those of any other living
things.

I should here just like to remark that no
amount of book-reading will give the student
much practical knowledge of birds. He must
supplement his reading with his own observations,
with his own constant and sympathetic scrutiny of
birds at all times and seasons ; for it is only then
that the wonderful charm of Ornithology is realised.
The ways of birds are well enough when put on
paper, but this reflection of their habits is but
a sorry substitute for the personal observation of
them, no matter however cunning and skilful the
pen may be that essays to describe them. Regular
and constant observation, therefore, is necessary
to acquire a knowledge of birds' habits. I re-
member years ago I used to go my rambles after
knowledge so regularly that the farmers in the
fields set their time by me. " There goes Mr.
Dixon;" "it's drinking-time," " dinner-time," or
" milking-time," as the case might be, according

io THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

to the part of the fields I was crossing. By
keeping good time with the birds, I found out that
they kept good time with me, and were regular,
too — marvellously regular in their habits ; and to
this patient, dogged perseverance in my observa-
tions I attribute whatever knowledge I may
possess of the ways and doings of my feathered
friends. " Rome was not built in a day." A
practical knowledge of Ornithology is not gained
in a year, it is the work of a lifetime ; and I only
fear that the busiest of us will leave far more
undone at the close of even a long life than we
have ever accomplished by the most constant care
and unwearying observation. And this, in spite
of the supremely ignorant remark of a still more
supremely ignorant reviewer, that "it is now scarce
possible to discover anything new about the four
hundred sorts (sic] of British birds." Could
crass, impudent imposition on public credulity go
further ? So far the reviewer in the Scots
Observer — alias the National Observer — a paper
that so far forgot its dignity as to apply for
a review copy of one of my books (when they
found that none had been sent), yet only to pelt
it with literary garbage, to which the writer was
either ashamed or afraid to append his signature.
With these few introductory remarks, we will
now proceed to study in detail the " Birds of our
Rambles."

RAMBLE I.

ROUND ABOUT THE HOMESTEADS, THE HIGH-
WAYS, AND THE ROCKS.

OUR first ramble may be not inaptly devoted to
the common birds that dwell around and on our
houses, and that hop about the highways near
them. Even in such homely spots ornithological
study may be pursued with pleasure and with
advantage — the economy of the birds that dwell
in such close companionship with us is by no
means completely known, much remains to be
discovered. These half-domesticated birds are
also endeared to us by old associations ; they are
the friends of our childhood, and the daily com-
panions of more mature years. Their merry
notes, their glad, sweet songs, their comings and
their goings, their ways at this season and at
that, their trustfulness, and their attachment to our
dwelling-places, all help to endow them with no
ordinary interest.

Undoubtedly the one bird most intimately
associated with our houses and highways is the
SPARROW (Passer domestica). Even while I write commonly
these words the little brown rascals just outside dl!
the window are chirping notes of confirmation, and,

12 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

as it were, emphatically endorsing my assertion.
The House Sparrow is the one bird attached to
man ; he has followed him like a faithful retainer
all the world over. Indeed, the geographical
distribution of the Sparrow tells the story of
civilisation and the spread of colonisation, more
eloquently, more exactly, more concisely than any
other thing. And yet, in spite of his centuries of
residence at our threshold, and notwithstanding
his abundance, I doubt if any living man knows
the exact changes of plumage which this bird
undergoes between the nestling and adult stages
of existence ! And yet we are told that British
Ornithology is played out, that it is an exhausted
field ! Believe me, dear reader, we have yet to
learn more than we already know, concerning
even such a common bird as the House Sparrow !
All the year round this bird frequents our habi-
tations even in the grimiest of cities, the noisiest
of towns, although a considerable movement
takes place in autumn, when great numbers leave
these situations and visit the grain fields. The
House Sparrow is one of the most gregarious
and social of birds, and lives in colonies of varying
size, according to the extent of the accommodation
offered, and the amount of food to be obtained in
the vicinity. It will be remarked that the note
of the Sparrow becomes more musical in February;
the birds are then about to pair, and will soon be
making love. I ought rather to say the lonely
and the young birds, for there can be no doubt
that the Sparrow pairs for life, and yearly uses
the same nesting-place, often sleeping in the old
nest at night all the winter through. The Sparrow
is one of the most prolific of birds, beginning to

ROUND ABOUT THE HOMESTEADS. 13

breed as early as February, and continuing to do
so all through the year up to October. Eggs of
this species have been found during every month
of the twelve. As may easily be remarked, this
bird builds two very distinct types of nest. The
commonest type is in buildings, rocks, and hollow
trees, every nook that can hold a nest being
utilised in turn ; the other type is placed in the
branches of trees and amongst ivy. These two
nests are very different in construction, although
similar materials are used for both — dry grass,
straws, cotton, twine, hemp, wool, hair, feathers,
paper, and rags being among the most usual things
employed. The nest in a hole is little more than
a heap of this rubbish, the warmest and softest
materials being used for lining ; but the nest in
the branches is well and skilfully woven, firmly
fixed in its resting-place, domed, with an aperture
in the top or side where the birds enter. Grass
and straws are the usual material of the outer
part, and the inside is lined with an amazing
quantity of feathers. The entrance hole is always
a mystery to me, and generally found with the
greatest difficulty. Indeed, it seems as though
the birds possessed some mystic means of entrance,
or were always careful to shut their door behind
them. Many and many a time have I been
compelled to tear a nest to pieces before I
could get at the eggs. Every one is aware of the
slovenliness of the nest of this bird ; and very
often it is betrayed by the long straws left
dangling out of the hole. The eggs of the
Sparrow are four or five in number, and present
considerable variation. They range from bluish
white to grayish brown in ground colour, more or

i4 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

less thickly mottled, spotted, and blotched with
varying shades of brown and gray. In summer,
vast flocks of Sparrows frequent the hay meadows
to live on the seeds of grass and weeds ; and then,
as the autumn comes on, the birds, in ever-
increasing numbers, devote their unwelcome
attentions to the grain-fields, where the damage
they do is more than serious. Insects and their
larvae are also eaten by the Sparrow, as well as
any refuse it can find near our houses, and farm-
yards, and on the highways. Every one who has
observed the Sparrow can bear testimony to its
pugnacious disposition. It always seems ready
for a rough-and-tumble fray, and the moment
two birds fall out the battle begins to get general,
Sparrows flying from everywhere to join in the
noisy strife, which often ceases as suddenly as it
commenced. We might devote our entire ramble
to gossip about the House Sparrow, but with
these few remarks we must pass on, although
with the observation that he is constantly to be
seen on the highways picking about anywhere and
everywhere, and even repairing to the dry roads
to dust himself.

Another bird as interesting as he is also a

dweller on the homesteads, and this is the

widely STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris}. The Starling: is

distributed. r > • i • i i • i 11

one 01 my favourite birds ; his glossy purple and
brown plumage, his sprightly ways, his harmless
life, the regularity of his movements, and his
lively song, all endearing him to me. This bird
needs but few words of introduction here. Our
attention is usually first attracted to the Starling
by his song. A glance upwards generally reveals
the bird standing on a chimney-pot, or at the top

ROUND ABOUT THE HOMESTEADS. 15

of the cross or point at the crown of the gable,
or even on the ledge of the roof or the drainpipe,
where with puffed-out plumage and trembling
wings he reels forth his curious notes. His voice
is perennial. All the year through, with the
exception of the moulting season, he may be
heard indulging in song, but this is certainly the
sweetest and most continuous in early spring.
Like most life-paired birds, the Starling visits its
nesting-place from time to time throughout the
non-breeding season. He unfailingly begins to do
so in January, appearing on the roofs and the dead
branches of trees near his nest-hole every morning
with clock-like regularity, staying for a time to sing,
and then disappearing altogether, probably until
the morrow, when the same routine is repeated.
The Starling is also a very gregarious bird, flock-
ing all the year round, and breeding in societies
of greater or less extent, according to the facilities
offered. It is also much attached to a nesting-
site, and will even take possession of a box nailed
to the wall or tree for its benefit ; no bird is more
easily encouraged or difficult to drive away. It
is an early breeder, sometimes beginning to build
in March, but more regularly in May. The nest
may be found in a great variety of places, but
always in holes and crevices well protected from
the external air. Holes in walls and trees, nooks
and crannies under eaves, dovecots, church
towers, and fissures in the rocks, are all fre-
quented by this bird. It makes a rude nest of
straws, dry grass, and a few feathers, but often
enough the latter are absent. The four or five
eggs are rather elongated in form, and pale
greenish blue in colour, without markings. There

1 6 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

still appears to be much doubt as to the Starling
being double -brooded ; and persons favourably
situated for the purpose would confer a favour
on naturalists by recording their own individual
experience. As soon as the young are hatched,
the old birds may be seen visiting the nest every
few minutes with worms which they obtain from
the nearest grass lands. All the droppings of the
young are also carried away with scrupulous
cleanliness. When fledged, these young birds
possess none of the brilliant glossy plumage which
characterises their parents, being almost uniform
brown ; the adult dress is assumed after the first
autumn moult ; and even before this is completed
the young males may often be heard engaged in
song. The food of the Starling consists largely
of worms, slugs, and grubs, for which it searches
the pastures assiduously. Few sights are prettier
than a flock of feeding Starlings, the birds nimbly
running to and fro, and every now and then
taking short flights in their eager quest. If
frightened, the entire flock rise together with
amazing promptness, and after a wheel or two,
again alight in another part of the pasture to
renew their search. As soon as the earliest
broods are fledged, the Starling becomes even
more gregarious, and its gatherings get larger
and larger as the summer advances. Generally
the Starlings in each neighbourhood have a
recognised trysting-place, where every evening
the flocks unite into a vast assembly upon the
tree - tops, keeping up a noisy clamour until
roosting time. Very often the gathering will
break up into two companies at dusk, each going
off to a chosen sleeping-place, but before doing

ROUND ABOUT THE HOMESTEADS. 17

so indulging in a series of evolutions as beautiful
as they are curious.

Almost as closely associated with the home-
steads as the Sparrow and the Starling, we must
now dwell briefly on the Swallows and the Swift.
In Yorkshire and Derbyshire it is considered a
good omen for the " Swallows " to fix on the
homestead for a nesting-place, and few are the
people that will seek to drive the little creatures
away. Perhaps the commonest species is the
HOUSE MARTIN (Chelidon urbica], distinguished widely
from the Swallow by its white rump and shorter
tail. It arrives in April and departs in September
or October. It is eminently a gregarious bird,
and all through the period of its stay is seen in
gatherings of varying size. Numbers of its nests
are also placed close together. Few things are
more pleasing in the spring than to note the
return of this pretty, harmless bird to its old
haunts. There, high up in the blue sky, it may
be seen, flitting to and fro the livelong day, or
paying fitful visits to its nest under the eaves.

The Martin pairs for life, and each year the
old nest is used for family purposes. In May the
little birds are busy enough, some repairing their
old nests, others building new ones. The
Martin's home is one of the most curious of all
our British nests, and none are exposed more
openly. It is made under the eaves, the copings,
or chimney ledges, at the side of windows, on
palaces and cottages, and even on the rocks, with
no attempt at concealment whatever, just as
though the little architects were well aware that
they were safe from molestation. To the honour
of the British urchin, who is only too prone to

i8 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

indulge in stone-throwing mischief, let it be stated
that the Martins are rarely disturbed, even when
their nests are placed under the eaves of houses
by the side of the highway. The shell of their
nest is made of little bits of mud, built up in
layers, piece by piece, and obtained from the
puddles in the roads, or the banks of ponds and
rivers. A small hole at the top serves for the
entrance. This mud-formed nest is then lined
with dry grass and feathers, many of which are
snatched up when blown into the air, by the
Martins as they skim to and fro. The four or
five eggs are pure and spotless white. Any one
fortunate enough to have Martins' nests upon his
premises need never be at a loss for amusement
during the breeding season of these birds. They
are a constant source of interest, flitting to and
from their nests, and their lively twittering notes
are very pleasant to the ear. In early summer
the males are often heard to warble their short
yet varied song, often when sitting on a roof, less
frequently when flying up and down,
widely Almost as familiar as the Martin, the BARN

SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica] is perhaps even more
of a favourite. It may always be known by its
steel-blue upper plumage and long acutely forked
tail. To the unorthodox both birds are known
indiscriminately as " Swallows," and are generally
alluded to as such. In its habits the Swallow
differs very little from its ally. Like that bird, its
province is the air. It is also a life-paired species,
and returns yearly to an old haunt ; it feeds on
insects, like the Martin ; it possesses the same
habit of warbling during flight, and is equally
gregarious. In the matter of its domestic arrange-

ROUND ABOUT THE HOMESTEADS. 19

ments, however, it differs considerably, and always
prefers a covered site for its nest. This is gene-
rally in a shed, a barn, or an outhouse, or even a
wide old-fashioned chimney. I have often known
the bird select a site under an archway or in a
passage. The Swallow is just as trustful as the
Martin, perhaps even more so, and will some-
times make its nest within reach of the hand of
every passer-by. The nest is more open than the
Martin's, yet composed of similar materials — a
shell of mud, lined with dry grass and feathers.
The eggs are four or five in number, white in
ground colour, spotted and blotched with coffee-
brown and violet -gray. The Swallow begins
nesting in May, and the young are abroad early
in July. These latter are fed by their parents in
the air for long after they leave the nest, whither,
by the way, they usually repair at night to roost.
I do not find that the Swallow ever uses the old
nest twice, although the bird unerringly returns
to the same shed or building, and makes a new
one close by. The young male Swallows, readily
identified by their shorter tails, are often heard to
sing in autumn as they fly to and fro.

Popular opinion closely associates the SWIFT widely
(Cypselus apus) with the Swallows, and certainly
so far as habits and outward appearance go, there
seems much in favour of the supposition. But
the Swift is not a Passerine bird at all, and
belongs to the great order PICARI^, a group which
contains among others the Goatsuckers, the King-
fishers, the Woodpeckers, and the Humming Birds.
Indeed, the Swift is more closely related to the
latter than is generally supposed. The wide
gape resembles that of the Swallows, but the

c 2

20 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

structure of the feet is very different, all the four
toes being directed forwards ; the claws are also
very strong and sharp, enabling the bird to cling
to rocks and buildings. The Swift is one of the
latest of our summer migrants, not arriving at its
old haunts before May. It stays with us but a
short five months, and is off back again to Africa
in September. The Swift, like the House Martin,
is as frequently met with amongst rocks as amongst
buildings.^ This bird is readily identified by its
Swallow-Jike flight, nearly uniform blackish brown
plumage, short tail, and long narrow scythe-shaped
wings. You may also distinguish it by its loud
hissing note, often uttered so harshly as appa-
rently to make the air vibrate. No bird is more
aerial in its habits. All the livelong day from
dawn to dusk it keeps the air on untiring wing,
skimming to and fro, and flying about with
throbbing pinions that never seem to grow weary.
Its sole food is insects ; and beyond the notes
already alluded to it does not possess any song.
The Swift is a gregarious bird, and numbers of
its nests may be found close together. These
are either among the cracks and crannies of the
rocks, or in church steeples and towers, ruins,
castles, or even under the eaves of houses and
cottages. When in rocks many of these nests are
absolutely inaccessible, being made in narrow
crevices many feet within the solid cliffs. It is
very interesting to observe this bird dart down-
wards from the air and enter the nesting hole just
like a bolt from the sky. The nest is simple
enough, a few straws and feathers being all the
provision made for the eggs. These are almost
invariably two in number, very elongated and

ROUND ABOUT THE HOMESTEADS. 21

pure white. The Swift is never seen to alight on
the ground to gather nest materials, but seizes
any straw or feather that may chance to be blown
into the air ; or, I often suspect, is guilty of con-
fiscating part of the Sparrows' nests. It has been
stated that the Swift is incapable of rising from a
flat surface, but this is entirely erroneous, as may
easily be proved by any one inclined to make the
experiment.

In the outbuildings of the farm, in the old
belfry of the village church, among the ivied
ruins, or even in the large caves among the rocks,
we may still commonly meet with the BARN OWL

j f+» • ft \ rr»t • i • i r • i distributed.

(binx flammea). Inis pretty bird of night may
be readily distinguished from all the other Owls
by its pure white underparts and long, narrow
face set with two piercing black eyes. It may
also always be known by its loud, far-sounding
hoot — enough to startle the most stolid person if
heard at close quarters, say below the church
tower at midnight, when the moon in ghostly
radiance is lighting up the white tombstones. A..
day long you may find the Owl at home, blinking
and dozing in his favourite corner, with the bats
for his companions, waiting for dusk. Then, as
the shadows darken and the twilight dies away,
he rouses himself from his lethargy and becomes
filled with activity and business. Forth he sallies
with a loud screech of pleasure — forth to the neigh-
bouring fields in quest of mice. All night long
he is astir, flapping about on soft, noiseless wings,
dropping down upon these unsuspecting creatures.
To and fro he passes, in and out of the old tower
or the barn, bringing food to his young ones or
his mate. The Barn Owl pairs for life, and

22 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

season by season nests in one favoured spot,
which is generally its daily refuge for the re-
mainder of the year. No nest is made, and the
eggs are generally laid either upon the dusty
bottom of the hole or upon the pellets of mice-
skins thrown up by the birds. The eggs are
three or four in number, about the size of a
Pigeon's egg and perfectly white, though rough
in texture and without gloss. When disturbed at
the nest the old birds hiss and snap their beaks
to show their displeasure at the intrusion. Two
or more broods are reared in the year, the earliest
eggs generally being laid in April and the latest
in July and August. The Barn Owl moults very
slowly during the months of July, August, and
September. It is, perhaps, needless to add that
this bird is a resident with us.

Two species of the Crow tribe call for notice

as we ramble below the rocks ; but unfortunately

widely for the naturalist only one of them, the JACKDAW

distributed. //~, j i \ • 11 i ' t • .M

(Lorvus moneduta), is at all commonly distributed.
He is much smaller than the Rook, and always
easily distinguished by his slate-gray nape. The
Jackdaw also frequents church towers, ivied ruins,
hollow trees, the larger homesteads, and even
sea-cliffs. I always, however, associate this bird
with an inland cliff, perhaps because I saw so
much of it in the limestone dales of the Peak.
The Jackdaw, like the Rook, is gregarious all the
year through, and builds in colonies. Like that
bird it also much frequents the fields and pastures
for the same kind of food, and its habits generally
are very similar. The Jackdaw pairs for life, and
the old breeding-places are tenanted yearly. The
nest of this bird is always well sheltered in a hole

ROUND ABOUT THE HOMESTEADS. 23

of some kind, and the bigger the cavity the
bigger the nest will be. In some cases where
the hole is small the merest rudiments of a nest
will be found ; but where it is made in a more
spacious cavity a vast collection of sticks is accu-
mulated. The nest proper is made of turf, dry
grass, and moss, and lined with wool and feathers.
The eggs are four or five in number, pale bluish
green in ground colour, spotted and blotched
with various shades of brown and gray. We
shall meet with the Jackdaw again in our rambles
across the fields (see p. 85).

Although during the breeding season it is
only found amongst the rocks of the Highlands,
the HOODED CROW (C. comix) deserves passing Northern
notice. In more southern haunts he is a bird of Astern,
autumn and winter only, and then frequents the winter.
coasts, where we shall notice his habits at that
season (see p. 244). For the present we will be
content with a peep at his domestic arrangements.
At all seasons this bird is more gregarious than
its cousin the Carrion Crow, with whom it
habitually intermarries, especially abroad. His
hoarse era or carruck may often be heard in
springtime from the beetling storr rocks and
rugged glens. He pairs for life, and makes his
bulky nest either on a platform of the rocks or
even in a tree near by on the steep hillsides.
The nest is very similar to that of the Rook,
made of sticks, turf, grass, moss, wool, hair, and
feathers, and the four or five eggs are absolutely
indistinguishable from those of that species, being
greenish blue or pale green in ground colour,
variously spotted and blotched with greenish
brown and gray. This bird is readily identified

24 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

by its slate-gray back and underparts below the
throat, the remainder of the plumage being similar
to that of the Carrion Crow in colour.

There is also much of interest going on among
the birds round about the homesteads, especially
in winter. For then does not the neat, dainty
ROBIN visit the doorsteps for his portion of
scattered crumbs ; and the HEDGE ACCENTOR
forgets his retiring ways and comes out into the
open, flitting about the barn-door, and in and out
among the heaps of wood in the stackyard.
Indeed, the latter place is a highly favoured haunt
of birds, especially when the fields are deep in
snow. There the BUNTINGS and the FINCHES
congregate, picking up the scattered grain and
frequenting the manure- heaps in a mixed and
lively throng. Here in the short twilight of the
winter evenings the noisy chirping SPARROWS
congregate, sitting in rows upon the buildings
and the trees behind the stables, dropping down
singly or in twos and threes, one after the other,
and nestling in the cosy sides of the hayricks or
under the thatch of the cornstacks. And well
into the dusk the tiny WREN, after chattering
noisily enough for half an hour or more in the
neighbouring hedge, flits quickly into the stack-
side like a swirling leaf, into a safe and warm
retreat even on the coldest nights. The ivy grow-
ing up the house-side is also another night retreat,
and amongst its glossy perennial foliage not only
Sparrows and other Finches nestle, but BLACK-
BIRDS and THRUSHES and even TITMICE repair for
shelter from the elements. Many exciting hours
have I spent in netting these places at night —
bat-lowling in the darkness to acquaint myself

ROUND ABOUT THE HOMESTEADS. 25

with the species that roosted in them. Even now
I can recall, across the wide space of vanished
years, the pockets well filled with Wrens and
Tits and GREENFINCHES, which after a minute
examination were always allowed to wing their
way unharmed ; for I could never bring myself to
take a mean advantage of them, and drag them
from their cosy beds to kill them, even though
specimens at the time were badly wanted. Many
other birds, especially in winter, make their
appearance round the homesteads ; but as these
are wanderers from their usual habitats, we must
refrain from noticing them until we meet them at
home in our future rambles.

SPECIES.

RESIDENT OR MIGRANT.

CALL OR ALARM
NOTE.

PREVAILING COLOURS.

House Sparrow

Resident

Shrill chirp

Brown and gray ; throat

of male black

Starling . . .

Resident

Long harsh chirp

Dark metallic purple

House Martin .

April to October

Sharp shiill/r/

Bluish black and white

Swallow . . .

April to October

Shrill whet

Bluish black above,

white below

Swift. . . .

May to September

Shrill pir-r-r

Blackish brown

Barn Owl . .

Resident

Loud screech

Buff and gray above,

white below

Jackdaw . .
Hooded Crow .

Resident
October to March

Cackling caw or kok
Hoarse caw

Black, nape gray
Black, back and under-

in England

parts gray

RAMBLE II.

IN GARDEN, PARK, AND SHRUBBERY.

OUR rambles through the gardens, parks, and
shrubberies will introduce us not only to some
shy and retiring birds, but to many of our most
homely species — those whose names are as house-
hold words to every dweller in the country. At
all seasons of the year these spots are the chosen
haunt of birds ; we shall never find time hang
heavy in them ; summer and winter alike they
swarm with a vast army of feathered folk, whose
varying ways are ever a source of untold interest
to him whose sympathies are awakened in the
contemplation of the wondrous works of Nature.

In many big shrubberies a fair number of
forest trees occur, and here very often for time
gnghmd and out of mind the ROOKS (Corvus frugilegus) have
rarernnorth. had their colony. The purplish black plumage of
the Rook, and its gray warty face, are too well
known to need further description. The big
nests are easy enough to see all through the
winter and the spring, until the deciduous foliage
conceals them ; but by that time the young are
almost ready for flight. As we shall meet with
the Rook elsewhere (see p. 85), for the present

IN GARDEN, PARK, AND SHRUBBERY. 27

we will content ourselves with a peep into those
big wind-rocked nests. The Rook is one of the
earliest birds to breed, beginning in favourable
seasons at the end of February, although the poor
birds often have to cease operations for a while
owing to severe weather. The nests are used
yearly, being patched up and cleaned each spring.
Those blown out during the past year are re-
newed, but not always in the same exact spot.
The nests are built of sticks cemented with mud
and turf, and then lined with moss, wool, dry
leaves, and feathers. They are rather flat, but
surprisingly firm and compact. The eggs vary
from three to five in number, and the normal
colour is bluish green, spotted and blotched with
greenish brown and gray. They vary consider-
ably in size and form and colour. All through
the laying and hatching season the Rooks are
noisy, busy birds, and when their young are being
reared, the bustle and tumult increase. Rooks
are most gregarious birds, very regular in their
movements, and at all seasons live in companies.

The next most prominent birds of these places
are undoubtedly the Thrushes. No less than five
of the half-dozen truly British species of these
birds have their home and haunts therein, and, of
these, three habitually rear their young within
them. Perhaps the most noticeable of all is the
BLACKBIRD (Merula merula\ so well known by \yideiy

1*1 1111 i 11 i MI distributed.

his glossy black plumage and orange-yellow bill
as to need no further introduction. His loud and
noisy cry when flushed from the evergreens, the
garden, or the lawn, is too well known and too
frequently heard to be mistaken for the note of
any other species ; and his incessant pink-pink-

28 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

pink from the shrubberies, especially at dusk,
never fails to tell the whereabouts of his roosting-
place. How graceful he looks as he stands with
elevated tail upon the grass - plots, fearful of
danger ; how quickly and lightly he hops to and
fro in quest of the worms and grubs that compose
his food ! Then how slyly he visits the fruit-trees
in summer, or with what boldness he plucks the
clusters of scarlet holly berries when the ground
is snow-covered or frozen, as if conscious that we
shall not deem this an offence ! He may be guilty
of pilfering in the kitchen garden, but then he is
of the greatest service amongst the cabbage beds ;
and I venture to assert that his ravages on the
cherry-trees and berry bushes are amply recom-
pensed by the noxious creatures he destroys, and
by his glorious song in spring and early summer.
I know of few more persistent songsters than the
Blackbird ; and in early spring he will sit and
warble for hours together from one accustomed
perch. The Blackbird is one of the first birds to
succumb to the tender passions in the opening year,
and is engaged in domestic duties often before the
high March winds have ceased. The nest is made
in the evergreens, the whitethorn bushes, on the
banks among the primroses and bluebells, and
less frequently in the branches of trees. Dry
grass, moss, and leaves form the outer portion of
the structure ; then this cup is lined with a thick
coating of mud, and after this another and final
copious lining of finer grass is inserted, the whole
when finished and dry being a very compact
structure. In this the brown female lays her five
or six eggs, greenish blue in ground colour,
spotted and blotched with reddish brown and

IN GARDEN, PARK, AND SHRUB BER\. 29

gray. The eggs of this bird are subject to con-
siderable variation, and may occasionally be found
with scarcely any markings at all. The plaintive
piping call-note of the male during the breeding
season will be remarked. Blackbirds are the
least gregarious of the Thrushes, and never flock,
even in winter.

Our second best known species is the SONG widely

T« /^- 7 • \ fin •• distributed.

1 HRUSH (1 urdus musicus). What visions of
bloom-flecked fruit-trees and springtime gladsome-
ness, of blue eggs and constant song, are awakened
at the sound of its name ! Verily I think, after
all, our homely birds are the most interesting —
happy associations linger round them unknown to
shyer and rarer species ! The Song Thrush is
the first musician of the year, and the very earliest
days of a changing season are rendered sweet by
his charming song. Who does not know the
brown bird with the thickly spotted tawny breast,
sitting up there in the leafless trees singing his
oft-repeated notes ? No other bird is so careful
to repeat each variation, trying note by note over
and over again, as if loth to part with each sweet
sound. Wherever we may find the Blackbird we
may find the Song Thrush too; although in winter
a marked migration of this bird takes place, and
sometimes not one will be seen during the months
of November and December. In its food and
habits it also closely resembles its sable congener,
although it is not so much of a berry or a fruit
eater. Its nesting season begins even earlier
than that of the Blackbird, and its finished home
may be found by the first week in April. Pre-
cisely similar situations are sought, and the nest
to a certain point closely resembles that of the

30 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

Blackbird. The great difference is in the lining.
Both nests are made the same and of similar
materials until the mud is inserted. Then, instead
of dry grass, the Song Thrush lines her home
with damp rotten wood, obtained from old fences
and fallen branches, and on this the eggs are laid
before it is dry. Indeed, the heat from the sitting
bird usually bakes this cake of kneaded wood
hard and solid as the incubation of the eggs pro-
gresses. These are four or five in number, a
trifle smaller than the Blackbird's, and beautiful
turquoise-blue, spotted chiefly at the larger end
with blackish brown and pale gray. The Thrush
sits closely, often with bill wide open ; but when
scared from her nest she generally becomes very
noisy and demonstrative. Two broods are fre-
quently reared during the season, but never in
the same nest. The Thrush is not quite so
solitary as the Blackbird, but never becomes what
we can call gregarious.

From the Song Thrush we pass to the
widely MISSEL-THRUSH (T. viscivorus). He resembles
buted< the Song Thrush in general appearance, but his
larger size, warier disposition, and the extreme
harshness and persistency of his call-notes, are
good points of distinction. Curiously enough he
is silent when the other Thrushes are most full of
music, and he warbles his loud, free song most
frequently between the months of September and
March. He is without exception the wariest of the
Thrushes, most often seen flying about the trees
in the park, and only drawing to the shrubberies,
and gardens when about to rear his young.
During autumn and winter he is more or less
gregarious, and is then often met with on the

IN GARDEN, PARK, AND SHRUBBERY. 31

fields, wandering from one district to another as
the food supply may vary. Bat with the spring
his errantry and his wariness forsake him, and
with a trustfulness made the more remarkable by
contrast with his former shyness he comes to our
orchards and shrubberies, and builds his nest
often in the most exposed and frequented situa-
tions. The Missel - thrush is a tree - builder,
rarely making his home even in the larger bushes
and shrubs. The nest, made early in April or
even at the end of March, is the most beautiful of
all the Thrushes' nests, is built of a variety of
materials, from green chickweed and moss to
grass and masses of wool. Like the nest of its
congeners, it is lined first with mud and then with
long fine grass, much of it green, and often a few
twigs are woven in the rim to strengthen it. The
eggs are invariably four in number, bluish green
or pale buff in ground colour, spotted with reddish
brown and gray. Nests of this bird may often be
found as late as June ; hence it is probable that
two or more broods are reared yearly. The food
of the Missel-thrush is very similar to that of the
preceding species, but berries are more largely
partaken of.

Our last two species are migrants. Of these
the REDWING (T. iliacus] is certainly the best AH
known and the most familiar. It is much smaller district*.
and grayer than the Song Thrush ; the spots
underneath are neither so large nor so boldly
defined ; whilst the very distinct pale eyestripe is
also an easily observed characteristic. The
chestnut - red flanks and axillaries, when they
chance to be observed, are also unfailing marks
of distinction. This little Thrush (the smallest

32 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

British species) is a great favourite of mine ; for
its ways are so trustful and gentle, and it comes
so regularly to a chosen haunt, remaining there
the entire winter through, that the acquaintance
ripens into friendship. On the other hand the
AH FIELDFARE (T. pilaris) is a more restless species,

and spends his winter in wandering up and down
the country-side like a nomad, with no fixed
dwelling-place. His slate-gray head, nape, and
rump, dark wings and tail, streaked throat and
breast, and dark flanks, all readily distinguish him
from the other Thrushes. He is about the size
of the Blackbird ; and his white axillaries are very
conspicuous during flight. Both the Redwing
and the Fieldfare are winter visitors to our
islands, coming from the forests of Scandinavia
in the late autumn days, their advent with us
being a sure sign of the waning year. I always
welcome the coming of these birds, especially the
Redwings, for they take the places in park and
shrubbery vacated by the summer birds of
passage, already far across the southern seas.
Both Redwings and Fieldfares migrate by night,
and both are songless during their sojourn with
us ; although the yelping cries of the Redwings,
especially at dusk, and the sak-sak of the Field-
fares, are welcome sounds in the leafless trees or
gloomy evergreens. The Redwing is the more
gregarious, and during the entire winter lives in
flocks, which have a settled rendezvous and roost-
ing-place in the shrubbery. Both these birds feed
on the various winter berries ; but of the two the
Redwing does so the least, and generally when
animal food is difficult to obtain, owing to a long-
continued frost. The Redwing arrives here in

GARDEN, PARK, AND SHRUBBERY. 33

October, the Fieldfare early in November, and
the former returns north again by the beginning
of .April, the latter a week or so earlier.

I feel confident in stating that probably in
every garden hedge in the country, and even in
suburban districts too, the little dull-plumaged
HEDGE ACCENTOR (Accentor modularis) may be widely
met with. Next to the Robin, the Hedge dl
Accentor is one of my most favourite birds. He
is the first bird of which I ever wrote a line, and
from childhood has always been full of interest to
me. His brown streaked upper plumage and
gray throat and breast, together with his feeble
and plaintive call-note of 'peep-peep, will serve to
distinguish him. He sings throughout the year,
a cheerful, glad little song, something like that of
the Wren, only without the concluding trill.
Although often enough seen in the open, on the
ground, the garden paths, and the walks in the
shrubbery, he is fond of retirement ; and it is
surprising how quickly he hops into the nearest
cover when alarmed, and threads his way up the
hedge, skipping from twig to twig, rarely taking
wing though chased repeatedly to and fro. One
of the greatest charms attached to the Hedge
Accentor is its beautiful nest. The bird is a
cunning worker in mosses and twigs, in hairs and
feathers, and its pretty little home is one of the
first that the gardens and shrubberies yield in
spring. The favourite situation for the nest is in
the garden hedge, or in a heap of hedge-clippings
thrown into the odd corner behind the potting-
house. It may also be met with amongst the
brambles and briars, or in a low thick holly-bush
in the shrubbery. Greenest moss and twigs,

34 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

rootlets and dry grass, form the outer structure,
which is thickly lined with hair, wool, and feathers.
In this the hen lays her five or six eggs, of a
beautiful and spotless turquoise-blue. Several
broods are reared in the year. Small worms,
insects, and larvae, and tiny seeds, are the Hedge
Accentor's customary food ; but in winter when
these are scarce or hard to find, the bird comes
to our windows to partake of crumbs, and then
frequents manure-heaps, the farmyard, or the
poultry-run, to pick up anything it can find to its
taste.

A close companion of the Hedge Accentor is
the ROBIN (Erithacus rubeciila]. Every one knows

distributed. i • • •• • i i i • i X 11 i

this trim and sprightly bird of our rambles, whose
gay and lively presence, whose charming song
and winning ways, never lose their attractiveness,
no matter however often they may come before
our notice. Of all the birds that gladden our
country with their song, none sing more sweetly,
more homely, or more plaintively than the Robin.
"Home, sweet Home" is in every note of his
music. With the exception of the month's moulting
season, during the last half of July and the first
half of August, the music of this bird may be
heard, exceptionally sweet and beautiful in the
autumn days and in the first dawn of spring. Early
and late he warbles, with no fear of man or
resentment of his scrutiny, stimulated to the
utmost of his powers by all rival Robins within
hearing, and which rarely fail to answer each
burst of song. His call -notes are remarkably
loud and clear, given forth at our elbow with all
the assurance of welcome, and accompanied by a
flicking of the tail and bobbing of the head. The

IN GARDEN, PARK, AND SHRUBBERY. 35

Robin pairs early in March, and during this
period is remarkably pugnacious, rival males often
fighting with such fury as to kill each other. The
nest is built in a great variety of places, even in
such unlikely spots as an old water-can, a derelict
kettle or saucepan, a drain-pipe or flower-pot.
The usual site is either in an old wall, or on a
bank, amongst tree-roots, and especially amongst
ivy growing over a low wall. The nest is made
of moss, dry grass, and great quantities of withered
leaves ; the lining is of hair and rootlets. The
eggs vary from four to as many as eight, white in
ground colour, freckled and spotted with pale
reddish brown and gray. A common variety has
a ring or zone of spots round the larger end ; and
sometimes eggs with no spots at all may be
found. The Robin sits closely, and I have known
instances where she has allowed me to gently
stroke her without any show of fear. Young
Robins — very different in colour from their parents,
mottled and spotted buff and black — as soon as
they can fly are abandoned by the old birds,
which often rear two or three more broods before
the summer is over. Insects and worms are the
Robin's chief food, but, as every one knows, it
is ready to pick up any scraps that may be
scattered for the birds, especially during winter.
The rich orange-chestnut breast of the Robin is
ever a ready mark of identification.

In many gardens, especially those surrounded
by old walls, and amongst the hollow trees in
the park, we may often come across the REDSTART Principally
{Ruticilla pkcenicura), a species easily identified typllb
by its conspicuous chestnut tail : the black throat,
white forehead, gray upper parts, and chestnut

D 2

36 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

lower parts of the male bird are very noteworthy.
The Redstart is a summer migrant to our islands,
very generally dispersed, arriving about the middle
of April and leaving us again in September. He
is very fond of sitting on and flitting about
the garden walls and the old trees, incessantly
flicking his tail when perched ; and in these places
he catches much of his insect food. His short
and rather monotonous song is at its best in the
early days of his stay with us. The nesting
season is in May. The nest is always placed
in a hole of some kind, either in a wall or a tree ;
and the observer will note with pleasure that a
certain spot is often returned to year after year.
The nest is somewhat loosely put together, and
made of moss, dry grass, hair, wool, and feathers.
The eggs, five or six in number, are about the
size of the Hedge Accentor's, and like them pure
and spotless blue, but not quite so dark in colour.
Still keeping to the park and the garden, we
shall meet with another little bird from far across
widely the sea, the SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (Muscicapa
' grisola). This bird is readily distinguished by
his monotonous and oft-repeated notes of chee-tic,
chee-tic ; tic, tic, tic, as he sits quietly on some
bare bough or paling, and ever and anon rising
into the air in fluttering chase of passing insects.
His brown dress, palest on the breast, which is
streaked, is very unassuming ; but he will insist
on sitting on the most exposed places in his
haunt, rendering it almost impossible to pass him
by unnoticed. He is specially fond of sitting on
the drooping branches of the trees in the park,
the boughs where the cattle have browsed off the
leaves, as also on the park fence and the iron

IN GARDEN, PARK, AND SHRUBBERY. 37

railings round haystacks. In the garden he may
be seen amongst the fruit-trees, or about the
greenhouses, using them as his watch-tower from
which he sallies in quest of food. When once
back in his accustomed haunts, he wanders little
all the summer through ; but sometimes you may
meet with him on the dung-heaps, or even on
the open grass lands near the shrubberies. His
food is insects, mostly caught in the air, but
beetles are often sought on the ground. He has
a short and simple little song, which is only
uttered at rare and uncertain intervals ; he seems
always too intent on his fly-catching to waste
much time in song. The Spotted Flycatcher
builds a charming little nest in June, placing it on
some flat branch of a wall-trained fruit-tree, or
among the trellis-work above the garden portico,
where the climbing roses flourish, In the park it
•chooses a crevice in the bark, especially among
the wych elm trees. Coarse, dry grass and moss,
and sometimes an assortment of worsted, twine,
and cotton, intermingled with the hard wing-
cases of insects, form the outer structure, which is
.snugly lined with fine roots and horsehair. In
this the female lays five or six eggs, pale bluish
green in ground colour, mottled and spotted with
reddish brown. The young birds — prettily spotted
little creatures — keep in company with their
parents, who feed and tend them almost all the
remainder of the summer. It should here be
remarked that the Spotted Flycatcher is one of
the very latest of our migrants, not arriving before
the middle of May, and like most of these late
birds, it leaves early, departing for a southern
haunt by the beginning of September.

38 . THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

Three species of Warbler are regular sum-
mer visitors to the gardens and shrubberies.

principally Best known of these is the BLACKCAP (Sylvia

t^pl!ish atricapiltd) and the earliest to arrive in spring,
reaching his old haunts about the middle of ApriL

Ditto but The GARDEN WARBLER (S. hortensis) arrives a.

waVes? little later, and loves to frequent the currant and
gooseberry bushes in the garden amongst which
it often makes its nest ; and about the same time

principally the third of these species, the LESSER WHITE-
THROAT (S. curruca) puts in an appearance.
Both this bird and the Blackcap are fond of
frequenting the tangled underwood in the shrub-
bery, especially the briars and brambles that arch
over the stream and festoon the laurels and holly-
trees : yet both may be observed often enough
within the garden, more commonly when the fruit
is ripe. Of these three birds the Blackcap,
identified by his black head, is far away the
sweetest singer ; indeed his melody is almost as
rich and beautiful as that of the Nightingale.
The Lesser Whitethroat, the smallest of the
three, with a gray back, brown wings and tail, and
nearly white underparts, is the poorest musician,
his song being so short as to become even mono-
tonous. On the other hand, the Garden Warbler,
in his olive-brown upper plumage, and nearly
white under plumage, has a song which, if not
so loud and so varied as the Blackcap's, is every
bit as soft in tone. All three are in fullest song
in early summer. All these little Warblers are
shy and restless birds, incessantly hopping about
the cool, shady undergrowth, and ever and anon
fluttering into the air to catch passing insects.
The call -note of each is a more or less harsh feck*.

IN GARDEN, PARK, AND SHRUBBERY. 39

sometimes varied with a harsher scolding cry.
They feed on insects and fruit. Sometimes they
visit the higher branches, especially of those trees
dense of foliage, but at the least alarm they en-
deavour to gain the lower cover. All three
species build slight net-like nests among the lower
vegetation, of round grass-stalks, rootlets, and
sometimes lined with hairs. The eggs of the
Blackcap are four or five in number, dull white
in ground colour, speckled and spotted with olive-
brown and gray, and sometimes streaked with
dark brown. Those of the Garden Warbler, four
or five in number, are very similar, but the spots
are usually darker and more distinct ; whilst those
of the Lesser Whitethroat are also the same in
number and resemble those of the latter most
closely, but are much smaller.

We must not overlook the WREN (Troglodytes™^
parvulus\ as we are observing these birds of the
undergrowth. This little nut-brown bird, with
tail ever carried as erect and impudent as a fox-
terrier's, and never lowered except in death, is
almost as well known as the Robin. It is one of
the most restless of birds, never still, incessantly
on the move, up and down the hedges, and in
and out of the brambles and briars, more like a
mouse than anything feathered. His bright and
cheery song may be heard all through the year,
except in the moulting season in August and
September. The Wren begins to makes its
spherical nest towards the end of April, placing it
under the overhanging bank of the stream,
amongst ivy, in the side of the haystack standing
in a corner of the park, amongst the evergreens,
or the briars and brambles, and sometimes in a

40 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

gooseberry or currant bush in the garden. Dry
leaves, grass, or moss form the outer portion, which
is then lined with moss, and lastly with a plentiful
array of feathers. Here the female lays her half-
dozen eggs, pure white, spotted with light red.
Insects and their larvae, especially ants' eggs, and
fruit are the Wren's chief food, yet in winter-time
it will visit the scattered crumbs below the
window.

Amongst the trees in the park, and sometimes
on those in the garden and the shrubbery, we
chiefly in may frequently observe the NUTHATCH (Sitta
centra?nd c&sia\ and still more frequently hear his loud,
England. cneery note of whit, especially during spring and
summer. The Nuthatch is a southern species,
and becomes more and more local northwards of
the Midlands. It is a resident with us, though in
autumn and winter it becomes a wanderer, and
roams the entire country-side in company with
Titmice and Creepers. The bright slate-gray of
the upper plumage, and the rich buff of the lower,
make this little bird easy of identification. In
many of its actions it puts you in mind of the
Creeper, running up and down the rough bark, or
hopping about the smaller branches like the
Titmice, head or tail uppermost, it is all the same.
Its food is largely composed of insects and larvae
found among the timber, but in autumn nuts and
berries are sought after. The repeated hammer-
ing of the hard shells is one of the characteristic
sounds heard where Nuthatches are about. This
bird pairs for life, and returns every season to the
old familiar nesting-place. It is rather an early
breeder, beginning operations towards the end of
April. The nest is placed in a hole in a stump or

IN GARDEN, PARK, AND SHRUBBERY. 41

a tree, and less frequently in a wall ; and should
the entrance be too large, it is plastered up with
mud. A slight nest of dry grass and dead leaves,
or even only a few scraps of bark and powdered
wood, are the only bed for the eggs. These are
five to eight in number, pure white, spotted with
reddish brown and gray. If the first clutch be
removed, the hen-bird will lay again, apparently
little concerned at the repeated robbery.

From the Nuthatch we pass to the Titmice.
Two species at least are commonly met with at
all seasons within the precincts of the garden,
the park, and the shrubbery. The best known of
these is the BLUE TITMOUSE (Parus cceruleus), widely
notable for the delicate azure blue of much of its
upper plumage ; the other species is the COAL Ditto.
TITMOUSE (P. ater, var. britannicus), distinguished
by his jet black head and white nape and cheeks.
Both birds are about the same size, and both may
be met with in similar localities. Each is famous
for its restless activity, for the endless variety of
attitudes assumed during its constant search for
food among the branches. Trees and shrubs
alike are visited ; every little nook and corner
comes under their prying scrutiny. Insects and
larvae are the food of these Titmice in summer ;
in winter this fare is largely supplemented by
seeds, notably of the birch and fir. Neither of
these birds possesses a song, yet the Coal Tit in
springtime oft strings its few harsh notes together
into what one might call a love trill. The usual
call-note of the Blue Titmouse is a more or less
harshly expressed chicka-chic-ka, kee-kee-kee, whilst
the most characteristic cry of the Coal Titmouse is
a clear if-hee-if hee-if-hee. Holes in trees and walls

42 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

are the nesting-places of both these Titmice. Each
makes a warm and slovenly nest of moss, dry
grass, and feathers ; and the eggs, varying from
five to seven in the Coal Titmouse, and from five
to twelve in the Blue Titmouse, are white, spotted
with reddish brown, the markings on those of the
latter being on an average smaller and finer.

Within the seclusion of the garden and the
shrubbery, or amongst the wooded cover of the
park, no less than half-a-dozen different kinds of
Finches have their home and breeding -place.
Some of these may be met with elsewhere, as we
shall see in our other rambles, and some others
change their ground with a changing season, yet
all are sure to be seen during the course of our
observations in these particular places. Best
known of them all, of course, is the House
Sparrow. The gardener, to his sorrow, knows
this pert and merry bird too well, especially in
seed-time, when it is too attentive to the beds ; it
also commits some havoc amongst the flowers,
particularly the crocuses. With its habits here
we have little to do, having already given an
account of its life history in our previous ramble.
Almost as well known as the Sparrow is the
widely GREENFINCH (Fringilla ckloris), his showy dress
of yellowish green, and the bright yellow in his
wings and tail, being too well known to warrant
more detailed description. The Greenfinch is a
bird of the shrubberies in summer ; he loves to
rear his young amidst the dense foliage of the
yews, the laurels, and the hollies ; yet at other
seasons he affects other haunts, as we shall see
when we meet him amongst them. His harsh,
long-drawn call-note of pee-zh is a very familiar

IN GARDEN, PARK, AND SHRUBBERY. 43

sound in the shrubberies during early summer ;
and his simple twittering song is heard incessantly
during the whole time of his residence there.
The Greenfinch breeds late, commencing its rustic
cradle in May, and rears brood after brood all
the summer through. You may find its nest
not only amongst the evergreens — the yew by
preference — but in the whitethorn hedge round
the garden, and even in the isolated bushes on
the lawn and in the park. The nest is made
externally of dry grass, moss, and perhaps wool,
with a few twigs interwoven round the outside ; and
this is most warmly lined with feathers, hair, and
wool. The eggs are five or six in number, pure
white, spotted and blotched with purplish red and
gray. The note of the female at the nesting-place is
a musical pl-wee-et. As soon as the grasses in the
hay meadows are in seed, flocks of Greenfinches
gather there, and there most of their time is spent
until the grain begins to ripen. At all seasons,
however, the Greenfinch is fond of roosting among
the evergreens in the shrubbery.

Still keeping to the shrubbery, we shall meet
with the BULLFINCH (Pyrrhula vitlgaris), one of widely
the prettiest of our native birds, easily recognised distributed-
by his black head, wings, and tail, gray back, red
underparts, and white rump. It also retires by
preference to the evergreens to rear its young,
although often enough met with elsewhere in the
winter months. Fitful are the glimpses that we
catch of the Bullfinch during the breeding season;
but in early spring it is much more conspicuous,
when it visits the fruit-trees, to pull the buds to
pieces and vex the soul of the gardener. The
song is heard in spring — a low, piping strain,

44 • THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

uttered as if the bird was fearful of being dis-
covered, and stopped at the least alarm ; the
piping call, sounding like diu or d'u, is much more
familiar. Paired for life, this handsome bird,
towards the end of April, begins the duties of the
year. The nest is usually amongst the yew or
whitethorn bushes, sometimes in the tangled
thicket by the stream. Grass, rootlets, and moss,
interwoven with twigs, form the outer portion,
which is lined with finer roots, wool, and feathers.
The eggs, four or five in number, are bluish green
in ground colour, spotted, usually in a zone round
the larger end, with purplish red and pale pinkish
brown. The food of the Bullfinch in summer is
mostly insects and larvae ; at other seasons
farinaceous buds, hips, haws, and other berries,
and the seeds of weeds are its chief support.
English The handsome HAWFINCH (Coccothraustes

2?eeinVery vulgaris), largest of the truly British Finches,
Ireland. clajms our notice next. Of all shy birds the
Hawfinch is the shyest, keeping close to the
dense and friendly foliage of the evergreens or the
fruit-trees in the garden. Sometimes he visits the
park, and may be noticed flying from one tree to
another ; but certainly all the summer through it
is the exception to meet with him out of the cover
of his favourite haunts. The food of the Haw-
finch in spring and early summer is insects and
larvse, and on these its young are reared chiefly.
Later on it visits the garden for peas, cherries,
and other fruit ; nuts, berries, and seeds are its
staple fare during the remainder of the year. The
nest is often made in a fork of the apple or pear
trees, in ivy growing up the trunks of larger
trees, and sometimes on a flat branch near the

IN GARDEN, PARK, AND SHRUBBERY. 45

trunk of a beech or an oak. A yew or holly, or
even a whitethorn, is occasionally selected. It is
built of fine twigs, stalks of weeds, roots, and
moss, and lined with dry grass, finer roots, and
hair. The five or six eggs are pale olive-green
or brownish buff in ground colour, streaked and
spotted with dark greenish brown and pale gray.
All through the nesting period both parents keep
remarkably quiet, and are most careful not to
betray the whereabouts of their home. The
young birds keep company with their parents
long after they are able to fly. Later on these
parties of Hawfinches become larger as brood
joins brood, and then the beech woods are often
visited for the mast. The Hawfinch is little of a
songster, merely uttering a few twittering notes,
and its usual call-note is something like that of
the Greenfinch, only harsher.

In amongst the fruit-trees in the garden the
gentle, pretty GOLDFINCH (FringiUa carduelis] widely but
rears its young. Like several other of the dwellers Sbuted.
here, it only retires to the orchards, the gardens,
and the shrubberies during spring and sum-
mer ; the remainder of the year it affects other
haunts. The scarlet face, black crown and
hood, black and yellow wings, and more or less
brown body plumage easily distinguish this bird
from all its congeners. Of all the nests to be
found within the compass of this ramble, few
exceed in beauty the tiny cradle of the Goldfinch.
It is usually placed in a fork of the lichen-covered
branches of the fruit-trees, less frequently in the
whitethorn hedge or in the shrubbery, and is made
outwardly of grass roots and moss, spiders' webs
and lichens, and then lined with hair, feathers,

46 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

and vegetable down. The four or five eggs are
bluish white, speckled and spotted with reddish
brown and gray ; they are smaller than those of
the Greenfinch, and the markings are finer. In
spring the sweet song of the Goldfinch is heard
repeatedly ; and the bird's singularly plaintive
call-note sounds more frequently still from the
trees and thickets. This latter may aptly be
expressed as ee-gleet or twee-eet. Insects and
larvae are the Goldfinch's principal food in sum-
mer ; various seeds, especially of the dock and
the thistle, during the remainder of the year.

One other Finch is found in the shrubberies
and the park, but only during the winter months,
widely and this is the BRAMBLING (F. montifringilla).
Like the Redwing and the Fieldfare, this pretty
bird is from the Scandinavian woods, arriving on
our shores early in November, returning north
again with the beginning of spring. The prevail-
ing colours of its plumage are black above and
orange-buff below, but in autumn much of the
black is concealed by buff margins to the feathers.
Bramblings, during the whole period of their stay
with us, are gregarious and social, flocking freely
with Chaffinches and other hard-billed birds.
They are very fond of sitting on the tree-tops in
the shrubbery, especially towards sunset, all
twittering loudly together. Nightly they seek
the shelter of the evergreens with the Redwings,
and all the winter through they often remain
attached to one particular place. Beech mast,
grain, seeds, and insects are the Brambling's
staple food. I do not find that separation into
exclusive flocks of the sexes during winter in this
species as may often be remarked in the Chaffinch.

IN GARDEN, PARK, AND SHRUBBERY, 47

Another of our most local birds, the WOOD
LARK (Alauda arborea], may be met with in
those parks suited to its requirements. These
must be well wooded, and if the ground in places
is broken and heathy, studded with low bushes
and clothed with fern and brambles, so much
the better for the bird. Even in the air it may
readily be distinguished from the Skylark by
its short tail and more rounded wing. Many of
its habits recall the Tree Pipit. It has the same
persistent custom of remaining in one particular
haunt all the summer through ; and it also has
some favourite perch, usually a dead limb at
the top of one of the trees, where it sits, and
from which it starts on those flights which
accompany its charming song. He may often
be heard singing as he sits, so that motion
of the wings is not absolutely essential to
music. The song flights are not so high as
the Skylark's, and taken in wider circles, but
the song itself is sweeter, more continuous,
more Warbler-like. Except in the very depths
of winter, and during the moulting season,
the Wood Lark may be said to be in voice.
Early and late it warbles, rising as it were to
meet the dawn, and lingering in the air to enjoy
the very latest rays of the expiring day. In
many of its habits the Wood Lark resembles
the Skylark. It is a thorough ground bird,
•seeking its food among the herbage, sleeping
on the ground, and in autumn becoming gre-
garious. Its food is composed of insects and
their larvae, and small seeds. The Wood Lark
pairs early, and its nest, built upon the ground
under the shelter of a bush, or amongst long

48 ; THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

grass, or even on the short turf in the open
park, is made of dry grass and moss, and lined
with finer grass and hair. The eggs are four
or five in number, huffish or greenish white in
ground colour, spotted with reddish brown and
gray. The spots on the eggs of this species
are more distinct, and the ground colour more
apparent than in those of the Skylark.

Our parks and gardens in summer are also
the haunt of another very interesting and curious
English, bird, the WRYNECK (lynx torquilla). It arrives
easfhRnadrer here from its winter quarters in Africa about the
L middle of April, and then its loud, shrill, far-
sounding note of heel-heel is quite sufficient to
identify the species without closer scrutiny. The
mottled-brown and gray of this bird's upper
plumage are very beautiful, and the pale buff throat
and breast, crossed with dark bars, are very
characteristic. It is most closely allied to the
Woodpeckers ; its feet are the same, two toes in
front, two behind, and the tongue is extensile
like theirs, whilst its habits too are very similar.
You may watch it climbing about the old moss-
grown trees in the park, searching the chinks and
crannies of limbs and trunk for its insect food,
then flying in undulating course to another tree,
where the same close search is made. In climbing,,
however, the bird never uses its tail for support.
The Wryneck is also often flushed from the
ground, where it searches the ant-hills for eggs
and ants, picking them up with lightning speed,
as they cling to its long sticky tongue, shot in
and out too rapidly for the eye to follow it. The
Wryneck pairs for life, and season after seasoa

IN GARDEN, PARK, AND SHRUBBERY. 49

returns to its old nesting-place. Its breeding
season is in May, and the eggs are laid on the
powdered wood at the bottom of a hole in a tree
or dead stump, perhaps a foot or more from the
entrance. These are from five to eight in number,
pure and spotless white, and polished like those
of the Woodpeckers. The female will go on
laying egg after egg if they be judiciously re-
moved. Only one brood, however, is reared, and
young and old take their departure south in
September. This bird often feigns death, and
contorts itself when held in the hand, especially
upon being taken from its nest.

There are several birds also met with in the park
and the shrubbery which will be noted in greater
detail elsewhere. First of these is the STARLING.
Flocks of these birds feed on the park lands ; and
in autumn oft congregate on the tree-tops there, a
noisy, restless throng, to roost in the dense crowns
of the sycamores and the horse-chestnuts. Then
the CREEPER may be noted on the tree-trunks in
the park, and the CUCKOO may also frequently be
met with there, and his glad cry sounds repeatedly
from the trees, which are also frequented by the
GREEN WOODPECKER especially, which comes from
the adjoining woods ; and very pretty he looks in
his dress of green and yellow as he flies in
drooping course across the open spaces from one
trunk to another. The RING DOVES are also fond
of the trees in the park, and love to roost among
the fir - trees in the shrubberies ; whilst the
SPARROW HAWK visits these places to prey upon
the little birds that tenant them ; and the KESTREL
may oft be watched soaring in graceful flight

50 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

across the broad expanse of park land, when on
his way to the open fields or the woods where he
rears his young. The habits of birds in the
shrubberies during winter are specially attractive
at close of day, vast numbers crowding to the
evergreens for warmth, and to roost in safety
among the shrubs and bushes.

SPECIES.

RESIDENT OR MIGRANT.

CALL OR ALARM

NOTE.

PREVAILING COLOURS.

Rook. . . .

Resident

Harsh caw

Purplish black, bare

gray face

Blackbird . .

Resident

Loudfltnk or chatter

Black

Song Thrush .

Partial migrant

Long - drawn cry

Olive - brown above,

or harsh chatter

bumsh white below

Missel-thrush .

Resident

Harsh chatter;

Olive - brown above,

more so than

white below

preceding

Redwing . .

October to March

Shrilljj/^ and low

Olive - brown

and April

chatter

underparts buff and

chestnut, white eye-

stripe

Fieldfare . .

November to March

Harsh sak or tsak

Gray and brown above,

and April

white below

Hedge Accentor

Resident

Plaintive peep

Dark brown above,

grayish brown below

Robin . . .

Resident

Quickly repeated

Olive - brown above,

tit or tat

from chin to breast

orange chestnut

Redstart. . .

April to September

Plaintive weet or

Slate-gray above, rich

sharp wee-tit-tit

chestnut below

Spotted Fly-

May to September

Sharply uttered

Brown above, grayish

catcher . .

chee-tic, tic-tic-tic

white below

Blackcap . .

April to September

Harsh teck

Head black. Above

grayish brown, below

Gar den Warbler

May to September

Harsh teck

gray
Olive - brown above,

grayish brown below

Lesser White-

April to September

Harsh teck

Gray and brown above,

throat . . .

white below

Wren . . .

Resident

Loud and quickly

Dark brown above,

repeated tit-it-it

paler brown below

Nuthatch . .

Resident

Sharp but musical

Above slate-gray,chest-

whit

nut and buff below

Blue Titmouse .

Resident

Harsh - sounding

Crown azure blue, back

chicka-chickat kee-

green, wings and tail

e-e-e-er

blue, underparts

yellow

IN GARDEN, PARK, AND SHRUBBERY. 51

SPECIES.

RESIDENT OR MIGRANT.

CALL OR ALARM
NOTE.

PREVAILING COLOURS.

Coal Titmouse .

Resident

Clear -sounding, if-

Head black, nape

hee, if-hee, oft

white, upper parts

repeated

brown, underparts

Greenfinch . .

Resident

Long-drawn peezh

grayish white
Yellowish green, wings

gray and brown

Bullfinch . .

Resident

Clear piping diu

Head black, rump
white, back gray,

underparts red

Hawfinch . .

Resident

Long- drawn peezh

Brown above, wings

and tail black and

white, underparts

yellowish brown

Goldfinch . .

Resident

Oft-repeated twit

Brown, wings black

and yellow, tail black

and white

Brambling . .

November to

Shrill twitter or

Black above, throat

February

clear peezh

and breast chestnut,

white on wings and

tail

Wood Lark. .

Resident

Musical double note

Above brown, light

eyestripe conspicuous,

underparts buffish

white, tail short

Wryneck , .

March and April to

Shrill heel-heel

Above grayish brown

September

mottled with brownish

gray, underparts buff,

barred with brown

E 2

RAMBLE III.

ALONG THE LANES AND HEDGEROWS.

WE will devote our next chapter to a ramble
down the shady lanes and along the sides of the
hedgerows. These places in spring and summer
are resorted to by various interesting birds for the
purpose of nesting ; in autumn and winter they
are the haunt of many others that frequent them
for the rich supply of fruits and berries, as well as
for their privacy ; whilst in winter especially they
are the chosen resting-place of many more in
their wanderings about the fields. Some of these
dwellers in the lanes and hedgerows are birds of
shy and retiring habits, more often heard than
seen ; yet others are incessantly perching on the
topmost twigs, attracting attention either by their
showy plumage, or their loud, persistent song, or
even by both.

A bird whose conspicuous plumage is certain
to be noticed by every observer wandering round
many of our southern hedgerows, or along the
south of lanes where trees abound, is the RED-BACKED
SHRIKE (Lanius collurid). There is no over-
looking this handsome bird, for it seems to be
possessed with the one determination to make
itself as conspicuous as possible, either by perching

ALONG THE LANES AND HEDGEROWS. 53

on the topmost twigs of the hedges and the dead
branches of trees, or even by sitting on gate-posts
and telegraph wires. Only last summer (1890),
I had a pair of these birds under my special
observation for weeks. They had their nest in a
beautiful Devonshire lane, adjoining the Great
Western Railway ; and every day both male and
female — the former especially — persisted in sitting
on the telegraph wires, some fifty yards from their
nest, even the noise of passing trains failing to
frighten them from their bare and elevated perch.
The Red-backed Shrike must be included among
the last batch of migrants, arriving in this country
at the beginning of May. It will be remarked that
the bird is much attached to its haunts, and places
frequented one year will usually be visited again
the next. The habits of this pretty bird are very
like those of the Flycatchers. It loves to sit on
some open, elevated perch and to wait for the
winged creatures to pass by on which it feeds,
darting out after them in fluttering chase, then
returning to its perch again. It differs, however,
from those birds in one very important particular,
and that is its habit of spitting or impaling many
of its captures on long sharp thorns among the
bushes. Each bird has its own particular larder,
where it often retires to eat its meal, or to store
provender for future wants. Beetles, bees, grass-
hoppers, field mice, small lizards, young birds,
and even the adults of such species as Tits, Whin-
chats, and Buntings, form the food of the Red-
backed Shrike. Small birds and mice are often
wedged in between a forked twig, which holds
them firmly whilst they are torn to pieces by the
hungry Shrike's powerful notched bill. The alarm

54 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

note of this bird is very characteristic, a loud shrill
churr-churr-chack\ and whilst uttering this note, or
sitting silently on its perch, the bird is repeatedly
moving its tail, not up and down so much, as
most birds do, but from side to side, half expanding
it the while. I have only noticed this habit in
the Red-backed Shrike. The song of this species
consists of a few short rambling notes, more
remarkable for their peculiarity than their sweet-
ness. In addition to these characteristics the bird
may be readily identified by its slate-gray head
and neck, black line through the eye, rich brown
back, black wings, black and white tail, arid
rosy-tinted breast. The female is not so showy,
being reddish brown above, including the tail,
and the underparts have no roseate hue, and
are more or less barred with brown. A fortnight
or three weeks after its arrival the Red-backed
Shrike begins nesting ; and what is very note-
worthy, the nest is often built near a much-
frequented path, and in an exposed situation,
where it as likely as not remains overlooked until
long after the young have flown. This nest is
rather large, and made of the stalks of plants,
often with flowers attached, dry grass, roots, and
moss, and lined with finer roots, wool, and horse-
hair. The eggs, from four to six in number, vary
through almost every shade of green, buff, and
pink, spotted and blotched (usually in a zone
round the larger end) with brownish red and
gray. Red-backed Shrikes leave this country
early in autumn — in September — the old birds
apparently leaving us in pairs just as they arrived
in spring, a circumstance which goes far to prove
that they pair for life.

ALONG THE LANES AND HEDGEROWS. 55

Few are the hedgerow-sides that we can
stroll along in spring and summer, few the green
shady lanes down which we can ramble during
this delightful period, without meeting with the
WHITETHROAT (Sylvia cinerea). This is another widely
bird more often heard than seen, and its harsh
scolding notes, uttered as it threads its way
through the luxuriant vegetation, or the trembling
of the twigs here and there as it hops along
the hedge, betray its hidden whereabouts. You
may recognise this bird by his reddish brown
back, rufous margins to the quills and wing-
coverts, and pale whitish underparts. Perhaps
the Whitethroat is most en Evidence just after
its arrival about the middle of April, for then
the male especially delights to play about the
more exposed twigs, and repeatedly sits on a tall,
bending spray to warble his garrulous song.
Sometimes he is so full of joy that he flutters
up into the air, or along the top of the hedge,
singing gladsomely all the time. This habit
is especially marked early in June, when the
Whitethroat is in fullest song. In its habits it
is a restless little creature, ever hopping about
from twig to twig in constant search for the
insects and larvae on which it feeds. Like most
of the Warblers the present species is partial
to fruit, not only eating the wild raspberries and
strawberries growing along the banks in the lanes
and by the hedges, but visiting the gardens near
its haunts. The Whitethroat breeds late, when
the verdure of the hedges is in greatest luxuriance.
The nest is made among the tangled briars and
brambles that interlace the hedges, or grow in
dense masses here and there along the lanes.

56 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

Sometimes you may find it in a low bush amongst
nettles or tall grass, and especially in a gorse.
This nest is of the flimsiest net-like construction,
made of dry, round grass stalks, and lined with
roots and horsehair. It is deep, and beautifully
round, and generally contains five eggs. These
are greenish white in ground colour, marbled and
spotted with greenish brown and gray, and some-
times a few darker hair-like streaks. Most of
the spots often form a zone round the larger end
of the egg. Only one brood is reared, and for
the remainder of their stay the birds lead a
solitary life.

One other little Warbler may be found in the
hedges and lanes, between the months of April
widely yet and September, and this is the GRASSHOPPER
disS-iLted. WARBLER (Locustclla locustella\ easily identified
(when you are" fortunate enough to see him) by
his olive - brown upper plumage, spotted with
darker brown, and his pale buff under plumage,
nearly white on the throat and centre of the belly.
Of all the birds of the underwood it is the shyest,
the most skulking. I have a vivid remembrance
of my first acquaintance with this species when
a boy, five-and-twenty years ago. The never-
to-be forgotten trilling note attracted my attention
as I walked along an old lane which was used
as a cart-track to the fields and a foot-path
between Heeley and Norton — a village famous
for being the birthplace of Chantrey. For an
hour or more I chased the little brown singer
up and down the cover, through and through
the dense masses and thickets of gorse and rose-
briars, amongst the long grass in the hedge
bottom, and under the briars; and yet I don't

ALONG THE LANES AND HEDGEROWS. 57

think I saw him half-a-dozen times in all my
scrambling search. The long-drawn sibilant note
charmed me, rooted me to the spot, and made
me more and more determined to find out and
get a good view of the hidden singer. I can
only describe this curious trill as being like the
note of the grasshopper, only louder. For two
or three minutes together it sounded as I stood
listening, silent and astonished ; then the moment
I moved and tried to get a peep, the queer music
ceased, to begin again in another part of the
cover ; and this continued long after the gloom of
the summer evening had fallen and rendered all
chance of closer scrutiny impossible. Facilities
for identifying the birds of my rambles were few
in those days, and I am bound to confess that
it was months afterwards before I learned the
name of the bird that had baffled me. To this
day the lane is the haunt of the Grasshopper
Warbler. The food of this bird is very similar to
that of the Whitethroat. The nest is made in
May, and is artfully concealed among the grass
and weeds growing under the brambles and briars,
and in the bottom of the hedges, almost entirely
hidden by some overhanging mass of verdure.
It is made of dry grass, moss, withered leaves,
and lined with finer grasses and roots. The five
or six eggs are pinkish white, profusely spotted
and dusted with reddish brown and gray. Rarely
is the female seen to fly from her home, but when
alarmed she flits through the undergrowth more
like a mouse than a bird, silently and stealthily,
leaving you to discover her well-hidden nest — if
you can.

One of the most notable birds of the lanes and

5 8 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

widely the hedgerows is the YELLOW BUNTING (Embenza
distributed, cftrjne Ha), and one of the prettiest, too. You
may easily identify him by his canary-coloured
head, rich brown upper and yellow under plumage.
No skulking bird is he. All day long he may be
observed on the topmost twigs, singing his mono-
tonous song, or uttering his oft-repeated and even
more monotonous call-note — a long-drawn churrze,
which in spring becomes chee-chee-churrze. His
song consists of a single note repeated in various
tones several times, finishing with two others, the
last continued much longer than the rest. The
Yellow Bunting is one of the most persistent
singers of the hedges, bird after bird catching up
the song, and answering in the same repeated
strain. He may also very often be met with on
the trees of the hedgerows, especially in winter,
and at that season flocks of this pretty bird often
settle on the hedges. He feeds largely on insects
and larvae in summer, especially caterpillars ; but
during the remainder of the year grain and seeds,
in great variety, are his staple support. The
Yellow Bunting begins to breed in April, and
nests may be found from this month onwards to
August, so that several broods are reared in the
year. The weed-grown bank of the hedgerow or
the lane is this bird's favourite nesting-place, and
here, often well under the shelter of a tuft of
herbage or a bush, it makes its home of dry grass,
perhaps a little moss, and lined with roots and
horsehair. The four or five eggs are grayish or
purplish white, streaked and pencilled, blotched
and spotted with dark brown, the finer streaks
often joining the round spots and blotches into
an intricate tracery.

coast.

ALONG THE LANES AND HEDGEROWS. 59

Among the lanes and hedgerows of the South
of England, especially in the more westerly
counties, the CIRL BUNTING (E. cirlus) may be Fromvaiieys
met with. It is closely allied to the Yellow Avon, and
Bunting, but wants the bright yellow head, the south to
throat is dark blackish brown, below which is a
yellow spot, below which again is an olive band
across the breast which shades into chestnut,
the remainder of the underparts yellow. The
Cirl Bunting is more of a tree bird than its com-
moner ally, and especially affects hedges and lanes
in which this larger type of vegetation is common.
It is also of more skulking habits, yet is just as
persistent a singer. The song resembles that of
the Yellow Bunting, but wants the long-drawn
notes which almost invariably accompany the
close of that bird's refrain. He sings industriously
enough between the months of April and June,
less frequently in July, when his music is hushed
for the year in the autumnal moult. He feeds on
insects, grain, and seeds, according to season,
especially on grasshoppers. As the Cirl Bunting
prefers the higher vegetation for a perching-place,
in like manner it chooses a site among the bushes
at some distance from the ground for its nest. A
gorse-bush or a thicket of brambles and briars
is a favourite place. Sometimes, however, it
may be found upon the ground on a bank, or
amongst the herbage at the foot of a tree. It is
made of similar materials to those employed by,
the Yellow Bunting — coarse grass, moss, leaves,
roots, and hair. The four or five eggs are some-
what similar to those of that bird, but are rounder
in form, the ground colour is bluish or greenish
white, and the markings are darker and bolder.

60 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

Another very familiar dweller in the lanes and
widely the hedges is the CHAFFINCH (Fringilla ccelebs).
distributed. jt jg a kjrcj Qf fought- anc[ conspicuous plumage too,

especially during flight, when the white-barred
wings and the white on the outer tail feathers are
fully displayed. His slate-gray head, chestnut
mantle, yellowish green rump, and delicate reddish
pink underparts are very marked. Like the
Buntings, he is a most persistent singer, especially
in early spring. His short, loud, and cheerful
song is one of the first signs of the changing year,
and sounds particularly grateful to the ear on the
bright windy days of March. His monotonous
note of pink distinguishes him at once from all
other birds of the hedgerows. He sings in-
cessantly from March to May, then less frequently
on to the middle of July, when his voice is lost in
the moult. Sometimes, however, he regains his
music in September, but only under very excep-
tional circumstances. The Chaffinch pairs early
in the spring, but nest-building rarely commences
before the first or second week in April, much
later than that if the season be at all backward.
Of all the pretty nests to be found in the hedges
but one equals in neatness and in beauty that of
the Chaffinch. The more open hedgerows —
places where the growth is old, and there are
plenty of stumps and stunted bushes, the result of
many years' regular trimming with the bill-hook —
are the favourite spots. Here a crotch is selected,
often the three-pronged fork of an old thorn or
hazel, or the mossy stump of a blackthorn or a
crab. Day by day for a fortnight you may visit
this wondrous home, and watch it slowly grow in

ALONG THE LANES AND HEDGEROWS. 61

beauty and in finish with each daily scrutiny.
You may with pleasure and amazement observe
each stage in this beautiful nest, from the first
few scraps of moss and lichen, until the deep,
warm cradle is complete. The outside is made
largely of moss, with a little dry grass and a few
fine rootlets intermixed, and the inside is thickly
lined with hair, feathers, and vegetable down.
The great beauty of the Chaffinch's nest consists
in the bits of lichen, cobwebs, and scraps of paper
that are garnished all over the outside, the parent
birds being careful to select such materials for
their purpose as harmonise most closely in colour
with the branch on which it rests. The four or
five eggs are pale olive or bluish green in ground
colour, spotted and occasionally streaked with
purplish brown. Many of the spots are round,
and darkest in the centre. The parent Chaffinches,
especially the female, become exceedingly noisy
when their tiny home is approached, and with
incessant cries of pink, hop from spray to spray,
and often betray its whereabouts by their solici-
tude for its safety. Insects and their larvae in
summer, and seeds of many kinds, including grain,
in spring, autumn, and winter, form the food of
the Chaffinch.

Two other little birds, both cunning builders
of charming nests, make the hedges and lanes
their haunts during spring and summer. First of
these is the LESSER REDPOLE (F. rufescens), and North of
of the two it is decidedly the rarer, especially in ^mmerer
southern districts. Through the autumn and£urthr.m
winter the Lesser Redpole is gregarious, just like
its close ally the Linnet ; but at the approach of

62 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

spring the flocks disband, and in pairs the birds
seek out the hedges where they intend to make
their nests. In general appearance the Redpole
resembles the Linnet, but the much smaller size,
dark chin-spot, and double wing-bar, may always
prevent confusion. Early in spring the sweet
little song of the male is heard from time to time
all day long — a sweet warbling strain, something
like the Linnet's, only nothing near so loud.
The expressive and very distinct call-note of the
Redpole, as it sits perched upon the hedges and
trees, is a long-drawn on-wee, and during flight an
oft- repeated twit. The Redpole is a late breeder,
its nest seldom being completed before the end
of May. It is a snug little home enough — wedged
in a crotch of some mossy stump, or in a fork of
the more slender branches, especially among
whitethorns — made externally of moss, dry grass,
rootlets, perhaps a few fine twigs, and lined with
vegetable down and feathers. The eggs are four
or five in number, greenish blue in ground colour,
spotted with purplish red and gray, and some-
times streaked with dark brown. Save when the
young are hatched, the old birds do not evince
much anxiety for their nest ; but then they often
fly round and round, and hop restlessly from
spray to spray, all the time uttering their twitter-
ing notes. As soon as their young can fly, and
the moult is over, the hedges are almost deserted,
save as resting-places, and they evince a strong
partiality for the open pastures, as we shall see in
our ramble over those places.

The second species whose nest warrants
special attention for its remarkable beauty is the

ALONG THE LANES AND HEDGEROWS. 63

LONG-TAILED TITMOUSE (Acredula rosea). It is widely
the more interesting when we remember that no bate**.
other British Titmouse builds half such an elabo-
rate home, or places it in the branches. All
through the winter the Long-tailed Tit may be
met with in a variety of haunts, roaming up and
down the country-side in little parties, usually
composed of the broods of the previous summer
and their parents ; but as spring advances the
social impulses are lost, the tiny creatures sepa-
rate into pairs, and the duties of the year com-
mence. It is a stirring sight to see a party of
these feathered mites trooping along the hedges,
say in midwinter, when the foliage is scant, and
one can see their every movement. One after
the other they go, calling merrily all the time—
a low and rapidly repeated si-si-si, or see-see-see,
varied by an occasional harsher note — and turning
and twisting into the oddest attitudes as they
search the twigs and buds for food. No matter
how much they are disturbed, the party keeps
together ; and rarely do they stay in one spot, the
whole country - side is their pasture — hedges,
woods, trees, orchards, coppices, all are scruti-
nised in turn. Insects and their larvae, and seeds,
form the food of this species. The Long-tailed
Tit begins to nest in spring. The usual site
for its nest, when placed in the hedgerows, is
a holly-bush, and when in the lanes a tangled
thicket of briar and bramble, or a gorse-bush,
is usually chosen. This nest is globular, like a
Wren's, only composed externally of green moss,
silvered and spangled over with lichens, scraps
of paper, and spiders' webs, lined with an

64 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

incredible number of feathers, and perhaps a
little hair. No other nest excels in beauty that
of the Long-tailed Tit — a wonderful and charming
piece of handiwork, when we bear in mind that
it is put together by one of the smallest of our
native birds, with a bill little over one -eighth
of an inch in length, and with a body that could
be put inside a thimble ! The eggs are from
six to ten in number, white in ground colour,,
faintly speckled with brownish red.

widely The nest of the MARSH TITMOUSE (Parus

ted* palustris) may also be found in the lanes and
hedges. This bird is readily distinguished from
its allies by its rufous brown back, and black nape ;
and especially by its loud, oft-repeated note of
tay-tay-tay. Its habits are much the same as
those of the other Titmice, only it is more partial
to the hedgerows, and searches the lower vegeta-
tion much more than the highest trees. Its nest is
made in May in a hollow stump in the hedges,
and is composed of dry grass, moss, wool, feathers,
and hair. The from six to ten eggs are white,
spotted with reddish brown, and so closely resemble
those of the Blue and Coal Titmice as to be in-
distinguishable with any degree of certainty. As
soon as the young are reared the brood appears
to separate, and for the remainder of the year the
Marsh Tit is one of the least gregarious of the
Titmice, yet often mixes with its congeners in
their errant wanderings. The nests of all the
other species of Titmice may occasionally be
found in the hedges and the lanes, but the two
species here given are the most characteristic of
these localities.

The birds we have already noticed have been.

ALONG THE LANES AND HEDGEROWS. 65

selected as the most peculiar species of the lanes
and the hedgerows, but many other birds will be
sure to be met with in them. Thus, there are
few hedges round which we can ramble without
flushing the noisy BLACKBIRD. With what a
startling cry he issues from them ! First we hear
him hopping along, rustling about the fallen
leaves and dry twigs, then a moment after out he
comes with noisy voice, and flying low for a few
yards pops in again ; and time after time will he
renew the same tactics, until the end of the hedge
is reached, and he either makes a detour across
the fields, or enters the wood or the shrubbery —
his truer haunt — and we see him no more. Then,
too, the SONG THRUSH frequents the hedges,
commonly enough ; and both it and the Black-
bird repeatedly make their nest within them.
Our little friend the HEDGE ACCENTOR is also here
to greet us with its complaining chirp, and we
catch fitful glimpses of it as it flits along the
centre of the hedge. The WREN and the RED-
START may also be met with, the former especially;
and then again the BULLFINCH occasionally makes
his nest in a hedgerow. This bird, however, is
most frequently seen in these places during
winter, and very handsome he looks as he flits
in drooping flight before us, followed ' by his
less showy mate, or sits and calls to her in the
twilight, just before entering the shrubberies
where they roost. In autumn especially the
hedgerows are frequented by wandering GOLD-
CRESTS, and the WILLOW WREN may be seen
there, remarkably so during the late summer
months.

Many of the lanes are used as cart-roads from

66 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

the fields to the farmyards, and during corn
harvest they are strewn with much scattered grain
which has fallen from the waggons as they jolted
along the deep ruts, or has been brushed from the
piled-up loads by the branches of the trees over-
head or the long hedge-twigs at the side. Here
such species as GREENFINCHES, BUNTINGS, and
CHAFFINCHES may be seen hopping about picking
up the unusual feast. Then again, the hedges
round the corn lands always swarm with birds,
not necessarily those that breed in them, but birds
that have been enticed thither by the abundance of
food in the adjoining fields. Here, as we wander
along, we may startle vast flocks of SPARROWS
and Greenfinches from the wheat and oats,
and they all alight in fluttering hosts upon the
hedges, ready to fly down again into the corn
the moment we are gone. Many farmers take
good care to cut their hedges as bare as possible,
as well as all the lower branches of the trees, so
that they shall not harbour the birds so much ;
for it is notorious that most of the damage done
in the corn-fields by birds is for a few yards round
the hedges, in which the little pilferers can hide
or take refuge when alarmed. In winter the
hedges are least frequented by birds, especially
those that are bare and much exposed. It is only
as resting-places that most birds use them then,
when flying to and from the fields, or as fleeting
haunts by day in their search for food ; so that
these places become the most interesting in spring,
and remain so as long as they retain their verdure.
The SPARROW HAWK must be alluded to as a
frequent passer along the hedges, snatching the

ALONG THE LANES AND HEDGEROWS. 67

little birds sitting on the sprays, especially in the
dusk of evening.

SPECIES.

RESIDENT OR MIGRANT.

CALL OR ALARM

NOTE.

PRBVAILING COLOURS.

Red - backed

May to September

Harsh churr-chack

Gray and chestnut-

Shrike . .

brown above, pinkish

white below, tail black

and white

Whitethroat .

April to October

Harsh teck ortrrr;

Brown above, white

alarm-note, wick-

below

a-uick

Grasshopper
Warbler . .

April to September

Harsh teck ', song
likenote of grass-

Olive - brown above,
each feather with dark

hopper

centre, pale brown

below

Yellow Bunting

Resident

L o ng -d r awn

Brown above, head and

churrze

underparts yellow

Cirl Bunting .

Resident

Amonotonous sirr

Brown above, head

olive - green, throat

blackish, olive band

across breast

Chaffinch . .

Resident

A monotonous/w/£

Head slate-gray, back

rich brown, wings and

tail black and white,

underparts reddish

pink

Lesser Redpole

Resident

Long-drawn^w-w^,

Rufous brown above,

oft-repeated twit

buffish white below

Long - tailed

Resident

Rapid si-si-si

Head black and white,

Titmouse

above black and pink,

below rosy gray

Marsh Titmouse

Resident

Harsh tay-tay-tay

Crown to nape black,

cheeks white, above

sandy brown, below

buffish white

F 2

RAMBLE IV.

ACROSS THE OPEN FIELDS AND DOWNS.

OUR fourth ramble may be aptly taken across the
open fields and downs, the lanes and hedgerows
usually adjoining the one and not unfrequently
leading to the other. Like all other districts
through which we may wander, the fields and the
downs are inhabited by certain birds, most of
which, if not absolutely peculiar to these places,
are their chief characteristic so far as bird life is
concerned. At all seasons the Fields are full of
interest ; in spring and summer they are the
breeding-grounds of many birds ; in autumn and
winter the resort of more. Owing to the great
diversity of the crops upon them, food and cover
are furnished for birds of widely different habits
and organisation. For the sake of making our
ramble over them as simple and comprehensible
as possible, we will first deal with them in spring
and summer, first noticing the birds that habitually
resort to them for nesting purposes.

So far as the downs are concerned, one of

Northern the most characteristic species is the WHEATEAR

Smmonl? (Scucicola cenanthc) — Tennyson's " blue bird of

March." Unlike many of our poets, England's

ACROSS THE OPEN FIELDS AND DOWNS. 69

talented Laureate is a keen observer of Nature
too, and rarely sacrifices facts upon the shrine
of genius. His allusion to the Wheatear is
particularly a happy one, for the little bird with
the blue-gray back is one of the earliest of our
migrants, and may be seen upon the southern
Downs on Lady Day — a visitor of almost as much
regularity as the rent-collector himself. The
white rump of the Wheatear makes him a very
conspicuous object as he flies before us across the
breezy wastes. He is very fond of sitting on a
boulder or a rough wall, and is remarkably con-
fiding, especially for the first few days after his
arrival. At the two periods of migration, notably
the autumn one, the Wheatear is gregarious.
Flocks of these birds arrive in March, but soon
separate into pairs and return to their accustomed
haunts ; and then again in autumn the broods
and their parents congregate from all the country-
side, and the gatherings become larger and larger
as the flight is slowly taken, until once more the
southern Downs swarm with Wheatears restlessly
preparing for their journey across the sea. In
spring and autumn, especially, the Wheatear may
be observed on the fallow fields, following in the
wake of the plough, searching the newly turned
earth for the worms and insects on which it feeds.
For the most part the Wheatear is a terrestrial
species, although it can and does perch freely on
trees, where such are to be met with in its haunts.
A few weeks after its arrival the Wheatear begins
breeding. The nest is one of the most difficult to
find, being cleverly hidden under a heap of stones,
in an old wall, or beneath the shelter of a rock.
It is made of dry grass, sometimes with a little

70 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

moss intermixed, and lined sparingly with hair.
The four or five eggs are pale sky-blue, and
spotless. As is usual with most birds that display
gregarious instincts, if only periodically, the young
are tended for some time after they leave the
nest, and their parents become very solicitous
for their safety when we approach, flying to and
fro in the air overhead, uttering their plaintive
notes, or alighting on the ground and walls to
watch our movements. The short song of the
Wheatear is often given forth as the male flutters
in the air, but it becomes less and less frequent
as summer advances, although it is sometimes re-
newed in autumn. The very distinctive call-note
of this bird is an oft repeated chic-chac-chac. As
soon as the autumn moult, in August, is over,
the southern migration begins, and there are
few Wheatears left in our islands by the end of
September.

Amongst the gorse coverts on the sides of
the open downs, but more especially in the fields
which are reserved for hay, we are sure to meet
with another little bird somewhat closely allied
but to the Wheatear, and this is the WIIINCHAT
(Pratincola rubetra). Its habit of clinging to the
tall weeds in the mowing grass, its rufous breast,
brown upper plumage, and white eyestripe, make
identification easy ; and the monotonous call-note
of n-tac, ^l-lac, tac-tac-tac , an easier matter still.
The Whinchat arrives in April, and until the her-
bage in the fields is sufficiently dense it keeps much
to the trees and hedges. But as soon as the tall
stems of cow-parsley grow up among the meadow
grass, and the docks and other weeds are sufficiently
strong to hold the bird, these places are forsaken,,,

ACROSS THE OPEN FIELDS AND DOWNS. 71

and for the remainder of the year its favourite
haunt is among the grass. Here it may be seen
flitting from stem to stem, or sitting quietly
uttering its call- notes with an occasional beat 01'
its short tail, ever and anon fluttering into the
air to catch a passing insect. The male also
often warbles his simple low-pitched song whilst
in the air. Mayhap you alarm him, and he
flies low across the grass to another stem, or
even to the fence which encloses the pond. The
Whinchat's food consists of insects and their larvae,
and small worms. Many of the insects are caught
in the air ; indeed, this bird in numbers of its
habits resembles the Flycatcher, and always
prefers a bare perching-place where a good look-
out can be obtained. The drooping branches of
trees in the centre of meadows are always an
attractive place for this little bird. The Whinchat
is a late breeder, and only one brood is reared
in the year. By the beginning of May, not until
the middle of that month in northern localities,
it may be seen in pairs, and a week or so after
this event the nest is completed. When in the
gorse coverts it is usually in a similar situation to
that used by the Stonechat ; but here in the
meadows it is placed among the herbage, olten in
the centre of the field. Few nests are harder
to find. Years ago I used to employ a method
which rarely failed. This was to walk systemati-
cally up and down the grass at night when the
birds were on their nests ; and as they then sit
close, I generally found their home at my feet as
the flushed bird rose from under them. The nest
is made in a little hollow, and is formed of dry
grass and moss, and lined with rootlets and hair.

72 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

i The five or six eggs are turquoise-blue, with a
faint zone of light-brown spots round the larger
end, sometimes the smaller end. The mowers
oft disturb the nest of the Whinchat before the
young are fully fledged, and then the birds be-
come more shy, and flit about the swathes, rest-
less and disconsolate at the loss of the friendly
cover. The birds keep together a good deal for
the rest of the summer, often repairing to the
pastures, and here they remain until the moult
is over, and the time for their departure comes,
which is in September.

Another bird which is even more closely
Principally associated with the fields is the TREE PIPIT
typlls (Antkus arboreus}. He arrives in our islands
about the third week in April, and may always
be identified by his habit of perching on some
tree in the fields, invariably on a dead branch
near the top, or at the very summit if among
the foliage, from which at intervals he soars
up on fluttering wings, singing as he goes, and
then, when the zenith of his flight is reached,
returns gliding on motionless and expanded
wings and tail to his starting-place. Again
and again he soars out from the tree ; all day
long he indulges in these song-flights, sometimes
visiting another tree from which to soar anew.
It would appear that this bird returns yearly
to its old haunts, and season after season one
particular tree is selected above all others for
his perching-place. Sometimes he may be heard
to warble on the trees, but his song is never
so long or so varied as when he utters it in the
air. Although the Tree Pipit is such a bird

ACROSS THE OPEN FIELDS AND DOWNS. 73

of the tree-tops, his nest is always on the ground,
generally among the mowing grass, less frequently
among the shorter herbage of the pastures, and
perhaps most rarely of all among the weeds upon
the banks below the hedges. I have repeatedly
remarked, as confirmation of the fact of this
bird returning to old haunts yearly, that it will
continue to use a field for a nesting-place which,
owing to rotation of crops, has changed from
mowing grass to pasture, or from pasture to
corn. The nest is very similar to that of the
Whinchat — a slightly-built little structure, made
of dry grass and bits of moss, and lined with hair.
The four or five eggs vary considerably in colour
— dull white, or olive-green, or grayish white in
ground colour, variously spotted and blotched
with purplish brown or olive-brown, and some-
times with one or two streaks of blackish brown.
Eggs of the same clutch are invariably similar,
however. The female sits closely ; indeed, all
the summer through she keeps much to the
ground. For some little time after they leave
the nest the young are tended by their parents ;
yet by the time the moulting season is over
these parties have mostly dispersed. All the
remaining time of their stay the Tree Pipits keep
to the pastures and the fields, roosting on the
ground, yet when flushed often taking refuge
in the nearest trees. The habit of sitting on
the tree-tops peculiar to the male also changes,
and he affects the ground as much as his mate
when his song ceases for the season. The food
of the Tree Pipit consists of insects and their
larvae, and small worms. The bird may also

74 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

be noticed in the corn-fields eating the soft milky
grain. The southern migration of this bird begins
in September, and is continued into October.

We will now leave the hay meadows for a
little time to glance at the actions and nesting
Principally economy of the YELLOW WAGTAIL (Motacilla rail),
t^pSlsh a bird of the pastures and the fields that are being
ern' tilled for grain and root crops. The bright yellow
head and underparts, and the olive-green upper
parts, of this pretty bird will readily serve to dis-
tinguish it from its congeners ; besides, it is the
Wagtail of the fields, and least frequently seen by
the waterside of all. Although it must be classed
as a summer visitor to our shores, the impulse
or the inclination to migrate in autumn is not so
universal in this species, and odd birds may be
met with all the winter through. It is also one of
the earliest birds to return, making its appearance
in the wake of the plough as soon as the weather
is sufficiently open for the work of the fields
to progress. Although not exactly gregarious,
numbers of these birds may be seen together
upon the same ploughed land in March. Very
neat and pretty they look, as they run along the
newly-turned furrows, and up and down over the
clods of earth, searching everywhere for food.
So tame and confiding, too, tripping round the
ploughman's heels, and following him from one
end of the field to the other, occasionally taking
short undulating flights, rising with a shrill chiz-
zit, and dropping again a little farther on, beating
the tail quickly up and down as they alight. Soon
these gatherings become smaller, as the birds
distribute themselves over the fields. Their
favourite summer haunts are now the pastures ;

ACROSS THE OPEN FIELDS AND DOWNS. 75

indeed, the Yellow Wagtail is a close associate
with cattle, and may usually be met with running
round them, often within a few inches of the
mouth of a grazing horse or cow. The flies
disturbed by the feeding animals, or attracted by
them, are the cause of the Wagtail's presence in
such places ; besides, the droppings of the cows
and horses harbour beetles and other insects in
abundance, and these form the birds' chief food.
The Yellow Wagtail is only a fitful singer, rising
into the air at uncertain intervals, and warbling a
short yet sweet refrain. Then perhaps for days he
will not be heard again. The nest of this species
is placed among the grass at the foot of a tree, or
below a wall or a hedge, or on the banks at the
sides of the pastures. It is made of dry grass
and moss, and lined with finer grass and hair.
The four or five eggs are grayish white in ground
colour, marbled and blotched with various shades
of brown. Yellow Wagtails may be seen upon
the fields in flocks during September and October,
and then the migration is in progress.

Decidedly the most prominent songster of the
fields and downs is the SKVLARK (Alauda widely
arvensis]. Who does not know this splendid
singer of the sky ? Who has not lain amongst the
long grass of the meadows, or the shorter herbage
of the downs, during the warm spring days, to
watch the tiny brown bird grow less and less as
he climbs on fluttering wing to the clouds ; to
listen to his rich, glad notes ; fainter and fainter,
high up there under the wide blue dome of
heaven ? These aerial song-flights render the
Skylark one of the most familiar of birds. In
the very earliest days of spring the Skylark

76 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

begins his song ; even a mild day in midwinter
will oft woo him into voice, and as the year draws
on apace his music becomes more frequent, until,
in April and May, he is the most persistent singer
of the fields. These song-flights, although com-
mon to many other birds, are equalled by no other
species, both for altitude and persistency of music.
No other known bird warbles so high in the
atmosphere, or flies to such an elevation for the
purpose of song. These flights are by no means
perpendicular, and the ascent is usually more
devious than the descent ; and when the zenith of
the journey is reached the bird often flies hither
and thither before coming down. Then, again,
the descent is much more rapid than the ascent,
the bird usually ceasing to warble when a few
yards from the ground, and then dropping like a
stone, either into the herbage at once, or to fly a
little way above it before finally alighting. But
these aerial flights are not by any means imperative
to the Skylark's song, for in the vernal year he
may be repeatedly heard to warble on the ground,
either as he sits on some clod or turf, or as he
runs to and fro about the fields. All through the
autumn and winter the Skylark is more or less
gregarious, frequenting the clover fields and weedy
stubbles by preference ; but in spring these com-
panies disband, and separate into pairs for the
purpose of breeding. The great nesting-grounds
of the Skylark are the hay meadows and the
corn lands. The nest is placed amongst the
herbage on the open fields and downs, and like
most of these nests upon the ground in the
pastures, is made of dry grass and moss, and
lined with finer grass and hair. The four or five

ACROSS THE OPEN FIELDS AND DOWNS. 77

eggs are grayish white, spotted, clouded, and
mottled over the entire surface with greenish
brown. The hen-bird sits closely, leaving and
returning to her nest by running stealthily
through the herbage; and the cock -bird never
drops down upon it, always visiting it in a similar
way. Two broods are often reared in the year.
The Skylark moults in September, and about
that time begins to pack upon the stubbles. Its
food consists of insects, larvae, and worms in
summer, but for the remainder of the year it is
chiefly composed of seeds and grain. Skylarks
are rarely seen in the air after the breeding
season, skulking close among the herbage of the
fields, where they also sleep, and only rising with
a mellow double call-note as we almost tread upon
them in walking across their haunts. To these
they are remarkably attached, and frequent certain
stubbles all through the winter, only quitting them
during long-continued snow, returning as soon as
the weather is milder.

The wanderer across the downs and fields,
inland or near the coast, will often observe a
brown-looking bird, heavy in movement and stout
of form, about the size of the Skylark. This is
the COMMON BUNTING (Ernberizu miliaria). He widely
is the largest of the Buntings, the least showy in
colour, and the least musical in song. Very often
you may see him sitting on the top of a little
bush in the fields, or even on the telegraph wires
and walls, and every few moments hear his short,
monotonous song, which, if we translate it into
English, sounds like see-see-see-I-I-Pm-he-r-r-re.
He is a most pertinacious singer, too, and from
early spring until the autumn remains in voice.

7 8 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

His song is not unfrequently heard as he flies
across the fields from one bush to another.
Sometimes he may be noticed clinging to the
stem of a weed, a stalk of meadow-sweet, a dock,
or a thistle ; and as he is by no means shy, you
may advance with due caution and observe him
closely as he sits uttering his monotonous zit.
The Common Bunting is a rather late breeder,
postponing his domestic arrangements until the
young corn is sufficiently dense to furnish plenty
of cover. It may be observed in pairs during
April, but May is the regular nesting period.
The nest is built upon the ground, often in the
middle of the field, frequently nearer to the
hedges, and occasionally under a bramble or a
bush growing on the open downs, or in a
neglected corner of the fields which is too out-
of-the-way for the plough to reach. It is made
of dry grass and straws, and lined with finer
grass, roots, and horsehair. The four or five
eggs are the largest of the British Buntings', but
otherwise resemble them in general appearance.
Only one brood is reared. In autumn the Com-
mon Bunting becomes gregarious, and at that
season its numbers appear to be considerably
increased by migrants. During winter it often
fraternises with Yellow Buntings, Larks, and
Finches. Its food consists of insects and larvae
in summer, and chiefly of seeds and grain for
the remainder of the year. This bird may often
be met with in the fields of standing corn, and the
stubbles afterwards are always a favourite haunt.

Three species of Game Birds may also be met
distributed with amongst the herbage of the fields. The
preserved, best known of these is the PARTRIDGE (Perdix

ACROSS THE OPEN FIELDS AND DOWNS. 79

ctnered). The Partridge is too well known to
need description here ; the brown birds that rise in
startled coveys from the stubbles and the turnips
with whirring wing, being familiar to every
wanderer across the fields. The Partridge is
common enough wherever he is preserved and
protected by man, although he flourishes best
on dry soils, and in districts where the fields are
not too large and the hedges furnish cover.
Unlike so many Game Birds, the Partridge is
monogamous ; indeed, I am of opinion that this
bird pairs for life. Very early in the year the
coveys — or rather, what is left of them — begin to
separate. In March and April the love-call of
the male — a curious laughing cry, something like
kirr-rr-ric — sounds incessantly from the fields,
and a week or so later (in May on an average)
the female goes to nest. This scarcely deserves
the name, for it is only a hollow lined with a few
withered leaves and a little dry grass, frequently
arranged in a dry ditch below the hedgerows, in
the hedge bottoms, or often enough amongst the
meadow grass and the growing corn. Sometimes
it is made in the most frequented situations, by
the side of a footpath or near a gateway — as if
the bird were fully conscious of the protection it
received from man. Ten to twenty eggs are
laid in this rude nest, uniform olive-brown in
colour. The Partridge sits closely enough, often
allowing herself to be taken in the hand rather
than desert her charge ; and when she voluntarily
leaves her nest she is careful to cover her eggs
with bits of vegetation to hide them from the
prying eyes of enemies. Both birds assist in
bringing up the brood, and the young chicks, able

8o THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

to run as soon as they are hatched, are quickly
able to fly, having several sets of quills before
they reach maturity. Partridges roost on the
ground at all seasons, and the rambler over the
fields may often see the spots where they have
slept marked by a ring of droppings. The
Partridge is very fond of dusting itself and of
basking in the warm sunshine on the bare parts
of the fields ; and in autumn it is especially fond
of haunting the turnips and the stubbles. The
Partridge feeds largely on grain and seeds, the
tender shoots of clover and other plants, on
blackberries, and on ants' eggs — the latter being
especially relished by the chicks.
Eastern The much more handsome RED-LEGGED PART-

counties,

Sussex to RIDGE (Caccabis rufa) is not a British bird at all,
in the strict acceptance of the term, for it was
originally introduced into our islands upwards of a
hundred years ago. In spite, however, of its being
well able to take care of itself, it still remains a
comparatively rare and local bird, probably because
the exact ground — warm sandy soils — suited to-
its increase is not sufficiently widespread. There
are many game preservers who view the introduc-
tion of the Red-legged Partridge into this country
as a mixed blessing ; indeed, on some estates on to
which the bird has spread it is persecuted almost
as relentlessly as a Crow or a Magpie ; and this be-
cause of its extraordinarily pugnacious disposition.
The English Partridge is no match for it, and in
certain districts has been almost exterminated by
its more quarrelsome ally. By the way, for stating
this in an account of the life-history of the Red-
legged Partridge in my work on " Our Rarer
Birds" I was taken to task by one of my reviewers;

ACROSS THE OPEN FIELDS AND DOWNS. 81

I think it was in the Zoologist. I can assure this
reviewer that in some parts of Kent the " Red-
leg" is detested, and its eggs broken wherever
and whenever found ; and as an instance of its
antipathy to the English Partridge I can name
reliable witnesses of actual fights between the two
birds ; nay, more, where it has actually been
watched killing an entire brood of English Part-
ridges just as they had got their first set of quills !
Comment is needless. A very noteworthy habit
of the Red-legged Partridge is that of perching in
trees and on walls and even stacks. But as a
rule it is a skulking creature, running through the
herbage and up the hedges rather than taking
wing. Its food is not known to differ from that
of the English Partridge ; and it has also the
same gregarious instincts in autumn, and the
same partiality for the stubbles and the turnips.
Its loud, shrill treble whistle is heard most fre-
quently in spring, about the period of pairing.
The nesting season begins in April and lasts
through May. The nest is placed in precisely
similar situations to that of the preceding species,
and is composed of much the same material. The
eggs, however (from ten to sixteen in number), are
very different, being pale brownish yellow, spotted
and speckled with light and dark brown. But
one brood is reared in the year, and both parents
assist in the duty. In autumn and winter this
bird not unfrequently wanders from the fields into
the adjoining plantations and common lands.
The uniform brown upper plumage, showily
barred white, black, and chestnut flanks, and
bright red legs, easily distinguish this species
from the common Partridge.

82 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

widely The fields are also the haunt of the QUAIL

debuted. {Cotumix communis], a bird very similar in
general appearance to the common Partridge, but
only half the size. It is remarkable for being a
bird of regular passage, coming to our islands in
spring to breed, and returning to Africa in
autumn. A few Quails, however, habitually
winter in the south of England, but these may
probably be individuals from more northern lands.
The Quail is rather a late migrant, arriving in May
and leaving us again in September and October.
Its migrations are by no means the least inte-
resting part of its life-history ; indeed, from the
days of the Patriarchs its journeys have always
attracted the attention of men, for their regularity
and for the enormous numbers of birds that pass
to and fro. Quails migrate in vast flocks across
the Mediterranean ; but by the time this wave
of migrants has reached our islands it is well-nigh
spent, consequently we do not witness such ex-
tensive flights. The shrill, merry whistle — a clik-
a-lik, or lik-lik — of the Quail from the meadow
grass is one of the gladsome sounds of the fields
in spring. It is a thorough ground bird, and in
habits very similar to the Partridge. Its flight is
quick, and the bird also runs with great speed
through the herbage. The scanty nest is made
upon the ground, usually among clover or growing
corn, and the eggs are laid in June. These are
from eight to twenty in number (the larger
clutches probably the production of two or more
hens), yellowish olive in ground colour, spotted,
blotched, and freckled with dark brown and olive-
brown. But one brood is reared, and the female
appears to take the entire charge of it.

ACROSS THE OPEN FIELDS AND DOWNS. 83

Our last characteristic bird of the fields is the
LAND- RAIL (Crex pratensis], also widely known \videiy
by the name of CORN CRAKE. No bird is more dl
readily identified, the loud, harsh, far-sounding
double note of crake-crake, crake-crake, rendering
the slightest chance of confusion impossible.
This note makes the fields ring again, especially
at night, from the date of the bird's arrival here
in April until near the middle of August. No
bird that frequents the fields is so skulking in its
habits as the Land-Rail, and nine times out of
ten its note is the only sign of its presence.
Sometimes, however— especially during the earlier
months of its stay — it may be seen in the open,
running down the hedge-sides, or crossing the
bare pastures from one meadow to another, or
even on the country highways between the
cornfields. Just after its arrival, the Land- Rail
wanders about a good deal from farm to farm ;
but as soon as it has paired and selected a
nesting-ground it becomes much more sedentary,
seldom straying beyond a field or so away. The
remarkable speed at which this bird can run
through the grass has given rise to the idea
that the Land-Rail is a ventriloquist, its voice
sounding now here, now there, in rapid sequence.
This bird is ever flushed with difficulty, and when
hard pressed will make for the hedges, and skulk
in some nook until all danger has passed. Its
food is composed of worms, slugs, insects, larvae,
tender shoots of herbage, and seeds of grasses.
As soon as the grass is sufficiently high and thick,
the Land- Rail begins to breed. Its nest is always
on the ground in the open fields, amongst the
clover, the mowing grass, and less frequently the

G 2

84 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

corn ; and is made of dry, coarse herbage, withered
leaves, and perhaps a few scraps of moss, well
and very neatly lined with fine grass, much of it
often green ; indeed, I have seen nests of this
species as smooth and trim inside as any nest of
the Missel-Thrush. From eight to twelve eggs
are laid, pale buff in ground colour, spotted and
blotched with reddish brown and violet-gray.
Some examples are very pale bluish green in
ground colour, and the spots very small and
sprinkled over most of the surface. A light egg
is often found in a clutch of the usual colour.
I have on several occasions found two nests of
this bird within a very few yards, and also known
it to remove its eggs entirely if much disturbed,
as, for instance, after a field has been mown. In
autumn the Land-Rail may often be met with in
the clover and turnip-fields, but as it is silent now
its presence here is often overlooked. It leaves
our fields in September for a southern haunt.

In addition to the foregoing species, the fields
and downs are the resort of a great many birds
that do not make their nests upon them. The
fields are the great storehouses of the birds —
their feeding - grounds ; and especially is this
apparent during three seasons out of the four.
What numbers of birds, for instance, rendezvous
upon them in seed-time and in harvest ; what
feathered hosts seek their sustenance thereon
when the crops are garnered ; what a great
variety make them their daily resort during
winter! A ramble, therefore, through the fields
cannot be complete without a passing notice of
the most characteristic species. For instance,

ACROSS THE OPEN FIELDS AND DOWNS. 85

there is scarcely a field that the ROOK and the
STARLING do not frequent every month in the
year — almost all the food of these two birds is
obtained upon them. During every ramble over
the fields we may see the blue-black Rooks and
the purple, glossy Starlings walking about the
pastures or new-tilled lands. The Rooks are
wary enough, and take wing before we can get
near them, but the Starlings are tamer, and admit
of closer scrutiny. If in autumn or winter, the
latter birds are generally in flocks which fly off
in compact bunches, or gyrate in the air like
animated network, ere they settle again with
wonderful precision, like well-drilled troops. Then
the pert, lively JACKDAW comes to the fields and
mingles with the Rooks. Repeatedly, too, the
black and white MAGPIE settles on the pastures,
and with long tail erect hops about the dung-
heaps, or even saucily perches on the back of
a grazing sheep. All the summer through the
CUCKOO beats about the downs and fields, and
often we may see the long- tailed, Hawk-like bird
fly across the pastures from the trees in one
hedgerow to those in another, whilst his merry
note is one of the commonest sounds heard
within them. Then the KESTREL in slow and
stately flight wings his way across the pastures
and the stubbles, hovering on trembling pinions
as he scans each foot of ground below for the
field mice on which he fares. Then, does not
the BARN OWL visit them in the evening's dusk
and take up the chase where the Kestrel left it,
harrying the meadows and the stubbles for similar
creatures ? Again, all day long during spring

86 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

and summer the air above the fields is thronged
with birds of the Swallow tribe — with HOUSE
MARTINS and BARN SWALLOWS. Yes, there they
are from dawn to sunset, skimming to and fro
above the meadow grass, or up and down the
pastures, now over this field, now over that, in
and out, and round about the grazing cattle,
or fleeting over the ripening grain. All the
spring and summer through the fields are full
of Swallows ; and then again, the dusky, scythe-
winged SWIFTS hawk above the herbage, or
career to and fro on never-tiring wings in the
higher air, ever and anon screeching forth their
piercing notes, sounding full of their impetuous
happiness. Many of the wet pastures and higher
stubbles are the home of the LAPWING, which
even breeds upon the fields, and often in autumn
congregates in flocks thereon. Then, as the
autumn days draw on, vast flights of Finches
make their appearance on the clover-fields and
weedy pastures. There may the charming GOLD-
FINCH be seen, clinging to the thistle-heads in the
old meadow, scattering the downy seeds to the
winds, as it adroitly poises on the fluffy crowns,
and picks away right heartily to reach the much-
prized fare. Or parties of BRAMBLINGS descend
upon the grass lands where manure is being
spread ; and as likely as not the gay CHAFFINCH
and the stranger REDWING are among the com-
pany. At the same season, too, the old stubbles
which have been sown down with clover are the
haunt of the charming little REDPOLE, one of the
tamest and most trustful of birds, now in flocks,
allowing you to watch its actions in searching

ACROSS THE OPEN FIELDS AND DOWNS. 87

for the tiny seeds without show of fear. In fine,
the fields are always full of interest for the
ornithologist, and no matter which the season
he may walk upon them, he can rest assured
that birds in plenty and variety will reward his
scrutiny of them.

SPECIES.

RESIDENT OR MIGRANT.

CALL OR ALARM
NOTE.

PREVAILING COLOURS.

Wheatear . .

March to September

Oft-repeated chic-

Gray and white above,

choc- choc

wings black, tail black

and white, underparts

pale buff

Whinchat . .

April to September

Monotonous utac-

Dark brown above, rich

tac-tac-tac

rufous below

Tree Pipit . .

April to September

Oft-repeated pip-

Brown above, buffish

and October

pip

white below

Yellow Wagtail

Partial Migrant

Shrill chiz-zit

Olive-green above, head

and underparts yellow

Skylark . . .

Resident

Liquid double note

Brown above, buffish

white below, breast

spotted

Common

Resident

Monotonous zit

Brown above, grayish

Bunting . .

or buffish white below,

breast spotted

Partridge . .

Resident

Shrill kirr-Tr-rlc

Brownish above, grayish

below, chocolate

horse - shoe - shaped

mark on belly

Red-legged

Resident

Shrill treble note,

Rich brown above, gray

Partridge

something like

and chestnut below,

preceding

throat black and white

Quail . . .

May to October

Shrill clik-a-lik

Brownish buff, palest

on underparts

Land- Rail . .

April to September

Harsh crrake-
crrake

Brownish buff, marked
with blackish brown

above, chin to breast

gray, remainder of

underparts buffish

white except flanks,

which are chestnut,

barred with white

RAMBLE V.
THROUGH THE WOODS.

OUR fair English woods are the chosen haunt of
many of the shyest and most interesting birds.
Within their shady depths at all seasons of the
year there is much taking place among our
feathered friends to instruct and amuse us. I
think of all places, woods are my favourite haunt.
I love seclusion and retirement, I revel in arboreal
solitude, ay, as much as these forest birds them-
selves. The curtain of greenery in summer, and
the network of bare twigs and branches in winter,
shut off from view all human works, and leave me
surrounded by the feathered creatures I love so
well, where, uninterrupted and alone, I may
commune with Nature's wondrous children to
my heart's content. No matter what the hour or
season, the woods are always attractive. Whether
gay with the smiles and the gladness of spring
and summer, or cloaked in the sobbing sadness of
autumnal decay and winter whiteness, shy birds
dwell within them, and live their happy lives
among the wild seclusion the arboreal depths afford.
No other district can compare favourably with the
woodlands in changeful beauty, in harmony of
colour, and in grace.

THROUGH THE WOODS. 89

What, for instance, can be more enticing than
a ramble through the woodlands in early spring ?
Truly, the woods are then a waking world, made
gladsome by the songs of wild birds from the trees,
and spangled with the' earliest blooms in Flora's
train. The vernal buds are bursting their brown
sheaths in the warm sunshine ; the fronds of the
giant ferns are quietly forcing their way to the
light through the mantle of crumpled leaves which
has sheltered them through the cheerless winter ;
the aroma from the gums upon the buds is sweeter
far than perfumes of Eastern spices to the nostrils.
Within the precincts of the woods some of the
earliest migratory birds make their appearance,
bearing spring upon their tiny wings from the far
and sunny South.

Prominent among these springtide strangers
that appear in the woods with April's advent is the
WILLOW WREN (Phylloscopus trochilus). It may widely

l .1 •JU'i.l_*Li.T distributed.

be easily recognised by its bright olive-green
dress, its graceful form, and almost Tit-like activity.
No language of mine can ever express my amaze-
ment arid my feelings of joyful wonder upon seeing
one of these little birds just after its arrival in our
English woods. With the dawn of morning the tiny
creature is there — how it has come, what exact
course it has followed, whether it has had a safe and
an easy flight from Africa, or an adventurous and a
difficult one, we know not. But there is the delicate
little feathered mite before us, hopping silently
about the still leafless hazel-bushes, as if yet far
from feeling at home in its new quarters. Here,
in chilly, leafless England, all is so different from
the verdant tropical oases of the South. All day
long have I watched one of these new arrivals

90 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

skipping about the twigs, and flitting in and out
of the earliest springtime foliage, every now and
then bounding into the air to capture a passing fly,
yet silent and ill at ease. All day has it kept to one
particular corner of the woods, by the banks of the
flooded trout-stream ; and at nightfall I have sud-
denly missed the little creature, as it has hidden
itself in some warm nook to sleep. A few hours'
rest, however, seems to work wonders in its
temperament. With the first flush of sunrise, the
newly-arrived Willow Wren begins its daily quest
for food, this time more vigorous and at home.
Insects are scarcer here as yet than in the
southern haunts beyond the sea, and it may be
the greater amount of energy required to find
them creates a more cheerful mood. Anyway, as
the sun rises higher in the heavens, and the
spring air becomes warm and balmy, the little
bird seems compelled to tell its new-found happi-
ness to the woods — perhaps to learn if any others
of its race have arrived, for the party that jour-
neyed north together became separated in the
darkness of the night, and its tenderly sweet little
call-note is heard for the first time — a low, in-
expressively beautiful for - eet (whistled softly
instead of spoken). Then perhaps a song is
uttered — the first music the tiny bird has indulged
in since it began to sicken for the spring moult in
some far-off oasis of the Sahara, or perhaps since
it left these self-same woods last autumn. What a
low, half-frightened song it is, just as if the singer
were by no means certain of its efforts ; but the
sunshine gets brighter, the air warmer, the leaves
and flowers are refreshing, the increasing supply
of food is encouraging, and peal after peal of

THROUGH THE WOODS. 91

music is uttered, each refrain louder and more
confident than the last, until the stranger bird
seems to have got over all the troubles of the
long journey here, and has abandoned itself to
happiness and to love. For other little songs are
now heard in answering voices, here and there
among the nut-bushes and high up in the. catkined
birches. The hen-birds have come at last, the
cocks gallantly awaiting their arrival before be-
ginning their concert, and rivalry is a strong
incentive to song. Three days after the arrival
of these first venturesome migrants the woods,
from dawn to even, are absolutely alive with
Willow Wrens, and echoing with their bridal
hymns of joy.

The Willow Wren and its two congeners
about to be mentioned are birds of restless habit,
incessantly hopping about the trees and bushes in
quest of the insects on which they feed. Many
of these are caught whilst the birds are fluttering
in the air. All three species breed in May and
June. The Willow Wren pairs soon after its
arrival, and its nest is usually placed on a bank
amongst the herbage. It is a loosely made struc-
ture, composed of dry grass and leaves, moss,
rootlets, and lined with hair and a profusion of
feathers, semi-domed in form, having the ap-
pearance of being overturned. Some nests are
much more globular than others. The six or
seven eggs are white, blotched and spotted with
pale reddish brown. The young are soon aban-
doned when they leave the nest. Only one brood
is reared, and soon after the autumn moult the
southern flight commences.

Two other species belonging to the little group

92 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

of Warblers of which the Willow Wren is typical,
also make the British woods their haunt in
Pnn^paiiy summer. Next to the Wheatear the CHIFFCHAFF
type/5 (P. rufus] is perhaps the earliest of our spring-
tide migrants. I have even heard his monotonous
song of chiff-chaff chiff-chaff, or chiff-cha-aff, on
the last days of March, during an exceptionally
favourable season, and this as far north as the
" Dukeries," in Notts. On an average he is here
by the first three days of April. It is not quite
so big as the Willow Wren, its plumage is
browner, not so bright and clear an olive, and
its dark, nearly black tarsus is ever an un-
failing distinction. The Chiffchaff is one of those
birds far more often heard than seen ; and this
remark- becomes more and more apt as the vernal
foliage decks the trees and effectually hides the
sombre little singer from all but the very closest
scrutiny. In other respects its habits closely
resemble those of the Willow Wren. The nest
is very similar, but is often placed several feet
from the ground amongst ivy or brambles. The
six eggs are white, somewhat sparingly spotted
with dark reddish brown and gray. The larger
Principally and handsomer WOOD WREN (P. sibilatrix) is
typtls even more of a woodland bird than either of the
two above-mentioned Warblers, and also the last
to make its appearance, coming towards the end
of April. As we wander through the woods in
the early days of May we may often hear his
monotonous " song," a few rapidly uttered notes,
becoming quicker and quicker, and ending in a
harsh and tremulous trill. The song of the Wood
Wren is always disappointing. The first few
notes are sweet and full of promise, arrest the

THROUGH THE WOODS. 93

ear at once and charm the listener, but before he
has time to realise its beauty it has drifted away
into harshness. Time after time is this repeated,
for the Wood Wren is a pertinacious singer ; and
should you be fortunate enough to see him you
will find that all his plumage seems to quiver with
excitement as he sings, and that he occasionally
warbles as he flits from one branch to another.
The Wood Wren loves the higher branches ; and
I have noticed that he will confine himself to one
particular tree for hours together, yet keeping so
close among the leaves as to defy detection. It is
by far the shyest of the three species, and usually
resents close observation by hurrying off to more
secluded haunts. The food of the Wood Wren
is insects and larvae, but in late summer both this
bird and its two congeners will eat fruit. The
nest is always placed among the vegetation on the
ground in the woods, and resembles that of its
congeners in form, but it is lined with hair alone,
feathers never being used. The half-dozen eggs
are larger than the ChiffchafPs, white in ground
colour, freckled and spotted with purplish brown
and gray. They are more thickly marked than
the eggs of the Chiffchaff. But one brood is
reared in the season, and the departure south is
made early in autumn — in September. The large
size, beautiful yellowish green upper plumage,
pale eyestripe, and nearly white underparts,
characterise this species.

The three species here enumerated are practi-
cally all the British Warblers (SYLVIIN^:) that
love a strictly woodland haunt ; and even of these
the Willow Wren especially may oft be met with
elsewhere. One other sweet singer, more nearly

94 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

allied to the Robin, however, is partial to a forest
south of resting-place, and that is the charming NIGHT-
X£kofand INGALE (Eritkacus luscinia). It is only our
southern and eastern woods that are favoured
with the. presence of this sweet musician, easily
recognised by his rich brown dress and chestnut
tail, and by his Robin-like ways. His kinship
with our little red-breasted friend is apparent to
the most casual observer ; the way he flicks his
tail and wings and drops from the bushes on to
the open drives or leaf-strewn ground is quite
enough to proclaim his affinity, even without
looking at his cosily concealed nest. The Night-
ingale, par excellence, is the minstrel of the woods,
especially such as are damp and well watered,
and withal a trustful if a wary one. Many and
many a time whilst seated in the southern woods
have I had this dark-eyed singer pour out his
rich, full music almost at my feet, so close that
every movement of his throat could be discerned
during the progress of his song. In spring he is
almost as pugnacious as a Robin, and drives off
all intruding birds from his own particular privacy,
chasing them through the branches with harsh
croaks of displeasure. It will be observed that
the Nightingale, like the Robin, is a bird of the
lower vegetation, seldom visiting the trees,
always preferring to skulk where the brushwood
is thickest. Worms, insects and their larvae, and
fruit, form the food of this bird. The nesting
season of the Nightingale begins in May. The
nest is usually made among the herbage below
brushwood, but occasionally among the exposed
roots of a tree on a bank, or among ivy, and is
made externally of dry grass and other vegetation

THROUGH THE WOODS. 95

of an aquatic nature, dead leaves, especially of
the oak, and lined with rootlets and hair. The
four or five eggs are mottled olive-green or olive-
brown, and sometimes exhibit one or two streaks
of blackish brown. The Nightingale arrives
in its summer haunts in April and leaves them in
September.

As a rule the woods are not frequented by
our smaller birds so much as an inexperienced
observer might imagine. These little creatures
can find ample concealment and seclusion for
their needs in the shrubberies, the hedges, and
the thickets, and consequently a casual scrutiny of
the woods often ends in disappointment. Such
tiny birds as are there are hard to see among the
twigs and leaves, and none but the most patient
are rewarded by seeing much of their ways.
How hard, for instance, it is to find the Titmice,
the Creeper, and the Goldcrest during the summer,
only those know who have sought them at that
season in their leafy haunts. Even in winter-
time the CREEPER (Certhia familiaris), being a widely
remarkably silent species, is one of the easiest dl
birds to overlook. He may be identified by his
mottled brown and buff upper plumage, silvery
underparts, and his habit of creeping in a fly-like
manner up the tree-trunks and along the larger
limbs. In its habits it is very like the Wood-
peckers, climbing about the timber, searching for
insect life among the bark with its long slender
bill, and supporting itself meanwhile by its stiff
pointed tail. Its shrill note of weet is heard most
frequently in spring. The breeding season begins
in April, and the site for the nest is often behind
a piece of loose bark, in a crack in the trunk, or

9 6 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

even in some crevice in a stack of cordwood.
Fine twigs form most of the outer structure, dry
grass, moss, and a lining of bark-strips complete
the pretty home. The six or eight eggs are pure
white, spotted with brownish red and gray. More
noisy and of brighter colours, as we have already
seen (see p. 40), the NUTHATCH is found especially
in our southern woods, but in autumn and winter
he becomes almost silent, and flits and creeps
about the trees unheard.

There is another species which here claims a
widely passing notice, and that is the GOLDCREST (Regulus
ted' cristatus), remarkable for being the smallest British
bird, something like a Willow Wren in general
appearance, but easily distinguished by the black
and orange crest and the white wing-bars. Truly,
indeed, it is a frail little creature, and as beautiful
as graceful. It is more a dweller in the larch
and fir woods than in those where the trees
are deciduous ; and here in the early springtime
its short but delicately sweet song may be heard
on every side, as rival males sing in concert. Its
charming nest — made in April or May — is slung
hammock-like at the end of some drooping fir-
branch, and is almost as remarkable for beauty
and design as that of the Long-tailed Titmouse
or the Chaffinch, moss, lichens, spiders' webs,
hairs, and feathers forming the usual materials.
The eggs, from five to eight in number, are of
a reddish tinge, freckled with reddish brown,
the colouring matter sometimes forming a zone
or cap at the larger end of the egg. The food
of the Goldcrest is composed of insects and
seeds, according to season. In autumn these
birds become gregarious, and then wander far

THROUGH THE WOODS. 97

and wide in quest of food. Still keeping to the
conifer woods, but only in the more northern
forests, we may find the SISKIN (Fringilla spinus) scotch type.
during the summer months engaged in bringing ESere,
up its brood. It is about the same size as the aSentaiiy.
Lesser Redpole, resembles the Greenfinch in
colour, but is instantly distinguished by its black
crown, nape, and chin. Then again the call-note
of the male at the breeding -grounds is very
peculiar — a long-drawn seez-zinn. The ordinary
call-note is very like that of the Redpole and
other small Finches, a rapid twitter. No nest is
perhaps more difficult to find than the Siskin's,
for it is usually hidden far up among the dark
crests of the firs — a tiny cradle fashioned almost
as neatly as the Redpole's, of grass, moss, and
roots, and warmly lined with down. The five or
six eggs are pale bluish green, spotted and speckled
with reddish brown and gray, and occasionally
streaked with darker brown. Towards winter the
Siskin becomes gregarious and social, and draws
southwards, where we shall meet with it again
during the course of future rambles (see p. 140).

One other bird should here be mentioned as a
dweller in the pine woods. This is the COMMON scotch type.
CROSSBILL (Loxia curvirostra) , distinguished from effete,
the other Finches by having the mandibles K?^3
crossed, and by its showy dress, the body Englan
plumage of the male being red, the female
greenish yellow, and the wings and tail of both
brown. Crossbills are irregular visitors to the
southern woods, but in the north are more or less
resident among the firs. They breed early, of all
British Finches the earliest, and the nest, made in
a crotch near the top of the tree by preference, is

98 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

very like that of the Bullfinch, and the four or
five eggs are exactly the same in colour as those
of the Greenfinch. Very early in the year the
low sweet song of this bird is heard in the native
woods, and the far-sounding call-note, si-si-si, even
more incessantly. The food of this bird in sum-
mer is largely composed of insects and larvae, but
the most universal fare is the cone of the spruce
and larch. In autumn fruit is eaten, and in winter
various seeds. After the young are reared the
Crossbill flocks, and wanders far and wide for the
remainder of the year. It then visits our southern
woods and fields, trooping from tree to tree in
actions like those of the Titmice, creeping about
the branches with little show of fear at our close
observation.

With a glance at the Titmice we bring our list
of the smaller birds of the woodlands to a close.
scotch vme Of the half-dozen British species, the CRESTED
TITMOUSE (Parus cristatus) and the GREAT TIT-
MOUSE (P. major] are perhaps the most attached
to the woods. All may be found within them,
summer and winter alike, skipping about the twigs
and branches and enlivening the leafy solitudes
with their harsh yet very characteristic notes ; but
these two species, the former especially, habitually
dwell within them. The Crested Titmouse, dis-
tinguished from all others by its long black and
white crest, is one of the rarest and most local of
British birds, attached to a few favoured pine
forests in Scotland ; but on the other hand the
Great Titmouse, the largest of the group, and
readily distinguished by the broad black stripe
along the centre of the breast and belly, is very
widely dispersed. The loud clear note of the

THROUGH THE WOODS. 99

Great Titmouse — tsee-sa, t see-so,, tsee-sa — in spring
is very remarkable, and aids in the bird's identi-
fication. This bird makes two very distinct types
of nest, just as we found to be the case with the
House Sparrow. The first is made in a hole of a
tree or wall, loosely put together, composed of dry
grass, moss, leaves, and lined with wool, hair, and
feathers. The second type is placed in the
deserted nest of a Crow or Magpie, or even in
the drey of a squirrel, and is globular like a
Wren's. Moss forms the greater portion of the
outer material of this type of nest, but the same
lining is employed as for nests in holes. The six
or eight eggs are white, speckled and spotted with
light reddish brown. The food of this species is
largely composed of insects and larvae in summer,
fruit in autumn, and seeds and larvae for the
remainder of the year. The nest of the Crested
Titmouse is made in a hole in a tree or stump, of
very similar materials to those used by the pre-
ceding species, and the six or seven eggs are
white, thickly spotted and freckled with brownish
red, often in a zone round the larger end. The
food of this bird is similar to that of the other
Titmice, varying according to season. The most
peculiar call-note of the Crested Titmouse may be
expressed by the letter R, rolled out with singular
emphasis into a succession of syllables. In their
actions the Titmice almost stand alone. No other
birds can readily be mistaken for them. The
attitudes they assume are endless in variety ; they
are birds that are never still. A Titmouse is
seldom seen at rest for two half-minutes together ;
all their waking moments are spent in endless
activity among the leaves and branches. It is in

H 2

ioo THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

autumn that the Titmice are most prominent.
They are then most gregarious and social, and
often assemble into scattered flocks, wandering up
and down the woods in quest of food. The ob-
server will often find other birds in their company
—small Finches, Nuthatches, and Creepers ; and
frequently enough three or four species of Tit-
mouse may be seen on the same tree in close
companionship.

There can be little doubt that the one grand
attraction of the woods to the larger birds that
haunt them is the seclusion and cover they afford,
especially during the season of reproduction. With
birds of the Crow tribe, this is notoriously the case.
Were it not for the safety yielded by the woods,
even in the face of ever-watchful gamekeepers,
it is more than probable that at least three of our
handsomest birds would have been banished from
English soil entirely. First and foremost of these
widely is the MAGPIE (Pica ca^ldata), whose rich and
loricated plumage vies in metallic splendour with
any that tropic woods can boast. Fifty years'
incessant persecution by senseless gamekeepers,
and their still less sensible masters, has failed to
exterminate the Magpie from its woodland strong-
holds. It manages to elude the sharpest vigilance
and prosper fairly well ; although districts are
known to me where powder, poison, and traps have
worked its complete extermination. The Magpie
is one of the showiest of our native birds, and no
other living thing lends the woods a greater
charm. Birds of even more gaudy plumage haunt
them, but they hide themselves away among the
brushwood and the leafy branches. The Magpie
is fond of flying to and fro between the forests

THROUGH THE WOODS. 101

and the more open country, and his rich contrast
of black and white plumage renders him conspicuous
enough, either against the background of green
foliage or the bare gray branches. His harsh
chatter, heard most frequently at nightfall, often
tells the whereabouts of his roosting-place ; and in
early spring especially he may be seen in parties.
The massive nest of the Magpie is made in almost
every kind of tree, high and low alike, and as the
birds pair for life it is used year after year for
breeding purposes. Early in the spring the old
birds either begin patching up their old home or
making a new one. Sticks cemented with mud;
and eventually lined with the same, form the outer
shell, which is thickly lined with fine roots. The
great peculiarity of the Magpie's nest is the enor-
mous roof of sticks which is built over it. The
six or eight eggs vary a good deal in colour,
ranging from bluish white to bluish green in
ground, spotted, freckled, and blotched with
greenish brown and sparingly with purplish gray.
But one brood is reared in the year. During the
nesting season the Magpie becomes less noisy,
and is very careful not to betray the site of its
nest, although this caution is useless, for the big
.stick-built home is conspicuous enough among the
still leafless branches. The food of the Magpie
consists of carrion, insects, acorns, eggs, worms,

frubs ; in fact, anything and everything edible the
ird may come across.

Another showy bird of the Crow tribe which
dwells in our woods is the JAY (Garrulus glan- chiefly
darius). No other British species can readily be beaming
confused with it. The general body plumage is soSand;
vinaceous brown; but the rump and tail- co verts freiarnder "

102 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

are white, and the crest is streaked with black,
the latter being the colour of the moustachial
lines. The tail is brownish black, the wings
black, chestnut, and white, the coverts being
beautifully barred with black, white, and blue
alternately. Persecuted for his real or imaginary
depredations amongst the game, the Jay is fast
becoming a rare bird in many districts. We
cannot wander far through a wood inhabited by
Jays without soon becoming aware of the fact.
Nine times out of ten they will be heard long
before they are seen, and in many cases, especially
where the underwood is dense, they manage to
elude every effort to observe them. The scream
of the Jay is very characteristic — a loud, harsh
rark-rark or raa-raa-rark. I know of several
beautiful Kentish woods that are the paradise of
the Jay — places where the keeper never molests
it, for the coverts are given up to the foxes, and
game is of only minor importance. The Jay
loves a wood where the undergrowth is dense —
woods where the ground is bare offer no attrac-
tion. No underwood is more dense or secluded
than that which is composed of sapling Spanish
chestnuts, which in many parts of Kent are grown
for hop-poles. Among this cover the Jay is
in his glory, and from June until the following
March troop after troop of noisy birds may be
constantly heard. They tell the whereabouts of
the foxes — reynard cannot stir without his move-
ments being noted by the noisy Jays — and even
when he takes his midday siesta amongst the
long grass on the side of the drives the birds
congregate in the trees above him, and scold and
storm so long as he remains. The Jay is com-

THROUGH THE WOODS. 103

paratively a harmless bird. He may steal a few
eggs in the spring, but his food consists of worms
and grubs, of acorns, peas, and cherries, and even,
when hard pressed by severity of weather, of any
garbage he may chance to find. The Jay breeds
rather late, and makes a new nest every year,
choosing a site among the brushwood, often in a
holly, or in a mass of woodbine. This nest is
very similar to that of the Magpie, only the roof
of sticks is absent, and the materials are not quite
so coarse. The eggs, laid early in May, are from
five to seven in number, bluish green densely
marbled and mottled with olive-brown, and oc-
casionally streaked with darker brown. The
young and their parents wander about in com-
pany as soon as the former are able to leave the
nest.

In times within the memory of living men the
Raven was a regular dweller in the woods, but
gamekeepers and cultivation have at last proved
too much for him, and these places know him no
more. The rock- bound coasts are now his great
refuge, and there we may meet with him anon
(see p. 210). His representative in the woods
to-day is the CARRION CROW (Corvus cor one], as
cunning and crafty a bird as ever wore feathers.
Nowhere in English woods can this bird be con-
sidered common ; and there can be little doubt
that it is fast following the Raven to utter banish-
ment. It may readily be distinguished from the
Rook by its green instead of purple-shot plumage,
by having the face covered with feathers, and by
its harsher caw, which sounds more like craw,
occasionally modified into car-ruck. The Carrion
Crow is rather a late breeder, and its nest and

104 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

eggs are very similar to those of the Rook. It
does not, however, breed in societies ; indeed, it
is one of the most solitary of birds, and when
once the young are safely reared is rarely seen,
even in the company of its mate — so far as
English woods are concerned. It is almost om-
nivorous in diet, and consequently is apt to help
itself to poultry, eggs, and game whenever a
chance is presented.

The woods are also the home of the Wood-
peckers. Not, perhaps, so much from a love for
seclusion do these birds frequent the forests, but
their insect food is derived almost entirely from
the trees. Of the three British species, perhaps
principally the GREAT S POTTED WOODPECKER (Piciis major)
is most widely distributed. His large size — about

known to

breed in that of the Sonof Thrush — and black and white

i«.unj O- .

Ireland.

plumage, distinguish him from his congeners. Its
call-note, heard most frequently in spring, is a shrill
English whit. The next common species is the GREEN
WOODPECKER (Gecinus viridis], although in some
localities, especially in the southern woods, it is by
far the most widely distributed of the three. He is
the largest of them all, measuring from twelve to
fourteen inches in length, and differing from the
others in the general colour of his plumage, which is
green and yellow. So far as my own observations
go, this handsome bird is the least shy of the British
Woodpeckers, and the most often seen. I often
watch him fly from tree to tree in drooping flight,
and either settle on the bark at once, or perch
among the slender twigs, usually uttering his loud
laughing cry — kyu kyu, or hi-hi-hi — as soon as his
wings are at rest. It will be noticed that this
bird becomes exceptionally noisy before rain, just

THROUGH THE WOODS. 105

like the Peacock is wont to be. The last of the
Woodpeckers we notice here is the LESSER SPOTTED English
WOODPECKER (Picus minor). It may be roughly
described as a miniature of the Great Spotted
Woodpecker, about half the size. It is certainly
the most local of the three, but in some few
favoured districts is far from uncommon. The
habits of the Woodpeckers are all very similar.
These birds search the trunks and limbs of the trees
most industriously for their insect food, climbing
with practised skill, assisted by their stiff, sharply
pointed tail-feathers. All live on insects ; all are
of solitary habits, and all rear their young in holes
among the timber, making no nest, and laying
eggs of exceptional gloss and whiteness.

From the Woodpeckers we pass to the Pigeons.
The rambler through the woods will meet with
two species at all seasons of the year, and with one
other during the summer months alone. Most
widely dispersed is the RING DOVE (Columba
palumbits\ whose soft, rich coo is one of the most dl!
characteristic sounds of the woods in spring and
early summer. The large size, the patches of
yellowish white on either side of the neck — hence .
the trivial name — and the white wing-bars, most
conspicuous during flight, are points that dis-
tinguish the Ring Dove from its congeners.
The nest of the Ring Dove is a slight and
slovenly structure, placed on the branches of
the forest trees — a mere platform of sticks, on
which the two white eggs are laid. Our second
species, the STOCK DOVE (C. &nas\ is often English
confused with the foregoing, although it is ty
little more than half the size, and still more
frequently with the Rock Dove — a bird that never

106 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

frequents woods at all. The rudimentary black
wing-bars, the absence of the neck patches, and the
slate-gray back and rump, are never-failing points
of distinction of the Stock Dove. Its note is not
so musical as the Ring Dove's, being harsh and
guttural. Unlike that bird, also, it often nests in
hollows and crevices of the decaying timber, and
even in holes in quarries and in rabbit-burrows.
Unlike the Ring Dove, the Stock Dove has a
decided social tendency during the breeding season,
and very often numbers of nests maybe found within
a very small area of the forest. The two eggs of
this bird are also remarkable for their creamy
tinge. Both these Doves rear brood after brood
from early spring until the autumn, when they
unite into enormous flocks to feed upon the stubbles
and pastures, returning to the woods at night to
roost. Many a pleasant hour may be spent at
eventide within the woods, watching the home-
coming Pigeons, those localities where fir-trees
abound being exceptionally favoured. The other
English British woodland Pigeon is the TURTLE DOVE

type ; but , rr, . • / \ i • i r

breeds (lurtitr duntus\ a bird of passage, wintering in

sparingly \ c • i -1-1 • T

in heiand. Africa, and coming hither to rear its young. It
favours the southern woods the most, and is by
far the shyest and most retiring of its order. It
is far more often heard than seen, and the woods
it frequents are filled with its rich, soft cooing notes
from morn to even, especially just after its arrival
in early May. Its small size, and the nearly
black patches on the sides of the neck, are sufficient
points of distinction. The Turtle Dove makes
a scant and slovenly nest, and its two eggs — about
the size of a Blackbird's — are pale yellowish white.
The food of this bird, like that of its allies, is

THROUGH THE WOODS. 107

composed of insects, fruit, grain, seeds, and tender
shoots of herbage. It usually departs southwards
again in September.

Almost everywhere the woodlands are sacred
to Game — they are the jealously guarded sanctuary
of the PHEASANT (Phasianus colchicus], with whom, widely

,. , * , ./J , distributed

according to the game preservers views, no other wherever

i -i i i • i i- r> i preserved.

large wild birds may live in peace. bven the
naturalist may be forbidden to enter these shady
preserves in quest of knowledge, unless he makes
friends with their keeper first. Everything likely
to disturb the royal bird sacred to sport, is
religiously tabooed. And yet the Pheasant is an
alien after all, in spite of his being so thoroughly
at home, for his natural habitat is far away in the
East, on the borders of the Black and Caspian
Seas. Although he has got to be looked upon
as almost indigenous, it is most probable that this
handsome bird would soon become extinct without
man's protection. From the naturalist's point of
view, Pheasants are very interesting birds, and I
love to watch their ways in the woods. Certainly
they are an ornament to the forest, as we catch
hurried glimpses of the splendid long-tailed
creatures, running timidly along the drives, or
rising with a clashing clatter among the under-
wood, topping the saplings on whirring wing, and
startling us from time to time as they hurry away
alarmed at our footsteps on the crumpled leaves,
or bramble-laced grass and fern. Then it is most
interesting to watch their wiles as they endeavour
to elude discovery. Only the other day an
instance of this kind came under my notice. I
had been listening to the pertinacious crowing of
a cock Pheasant amongst a tangled thicket, and

io8 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

after some little trouble I succeeded in flushing
him from the cover, and watched him fly from the
wood towards a small grove of trees standing alone
on a wide stretch of open ground covered with
cotton-grass and rushes. Here he pitched and
commenced to walk about, picking here and there
like a barn-door fowl. The moment I got out of
the wood and began walking towards him, he eyed
me suspiciously for a moment, and then hurriedly
crouched to the ground. Here, motionless as
marble he remained, watching my every move-
ment intently. Pretending not to notice him, I
made him believe that he was unseen, and
that I was about to pass his hiding-place. He
allowed me to get exactly within one yard
before he rose like a rocket and made for the
wood again ; yet in that fleeting moment I saw
how closely he had crouched to the ground, lying
almost flat, with neck stretched out and pressed
to the grass, and long tail like a single feather
extended behind. In this manner, or by running
stealthily through the grass, the Pheasant always
tries to escape danger, only using his wings when
absolutely compelled. The naturalist will also
find that when the woods are carpeted with snow,
the Pheasant is yet still more reluctant to rise,
and his tracks on every side show how small his
inclination is for flight. Here I might just remark
in passing, that the footprints of the female Phea-
sant are much smaller than those of the male ;
and not only so, she runs with lower steps, often
making a furrow on the surface several inches
before the actual impression of her feet. The
loud, discordant corrk of the Pheasant will be
familiar to every wanderer in the woods, and this

THROUGH THE WOODS. 109

crow is most frequently repeated before dusk, as
the birds are seeking their roosts. Pheasants are
polygamous, and several females live in the society
of one male during the pairing season until the eggs
are laid. The hen scratches a slovenly nest under
a mass of brambles or amongst fern, rushes, and
underwood, where she lays from eight to twelve
drab-coloured eggs. With the young chicks the
cock has nothing to do, and all the care of bringing
them to maturity rests on the mother. Pheasants
feed on grain of all kinds, seeds, berries, acorns,
and tender shoots, and on insects and worms.
The magnificent CAPERCAILLIE ( Tetrao urorallus] central

r ...,...- .^ d ' Scotland.

after many vicissitudes bids fair to become once
more a dominant species in the northern pine
forests, but as it is at present exceedingly local,
this passing allusion is sufficient for the purpose
of the present work.

Another bird which, for the sport it yields and
the exceeding delicacy of its flesh, is almost as
jealously guarded and preserved as the Pheasant,
is the WOODCOCK (Scolopax rusticola). Structurally widely
it has nothing to do with the Gallinaceous birds, MSoSi
being closely allied to the Snipes— a little group in
in the great natural order of the CHARADRIID.E or
Waders. From many points of view the Wood-
cock is an exceedingly interesting bird. True, it
is by no means common, especially in summer;
yet there are many English woods where it
remains to breed, and where, from its skulking
habits, it is apt to be overlooked altogether. No
other bird is more associated with autumn by nine
persons out of ten than the Woodcock ; and
rightly so, for its advent in October tells of
winter's nearness, just as the Cuckoo speaks of

no THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

coming summer in April. The Woodcock skulks
much during the day ; but at dusk its activity
begins, and then it betakes itself from its forest
retreats to its feeding-grounds in the swampy
corners of the fields or woods, or by the margin
. of the stream. Its food consists of worms and
insects. The Woodcocks that breed in this
country set about operations in April. At this
period the habits of the bird become less skulk-
ing. The male may then be seen, especially at
early morning and in the evening, flying up and
down the forest paths or along the borders of the
woods, uttering his whirring love-note. At this
season the cocks become pugnacious, and often
fight over their affairs of amour. The Woodcock
makes a slight nest among the drifts of dead
leaves in some snug, dry corner of the woods,
and the four large buffish brown eggs, spotted
and blotched with reddish brown and gray, are
exceedingly beautiful objects. The Woodcock is
said to convey its young to the feeding-grounds,
and much controversy has arisen as to the manner
in which the feat is accomplished. The plumage
of the Woodcock is remarkably rich in colour and
of exceeding variety. The upper parts are chest-
nut, mottled with black and gray ; the underparts
are buff barred with brown — a protective dress
which shields the bird from its enemies by assi-
milating closely with the colours around.

In some few of our woodlands the observer

will be fortunate enough to come across a colony

wweiy but of HERONS (Ardea cinerea). Like a rookery, a

distributed, heronry is a fixture. Season after season the

birds return to their old nests in the tree-tops to

rear their young, and the stirring scene is ever

THROUGH THE WOODS. in

full of interest to the lover of bird life. The
graceful Herons may be seen poised on the top-
most twigs of the trees, or flying to and fro and
round and round above their flat stick-built nests.
The Heron breeds early in the south of England,
laying its four or five greenish blue eggs in the be-
ginning of April, if the season is favourable. Some-
times the heronry is situated far from the fishing
grounds, and then the old birds may be watched
passing to and fro as regularly as Rooks until the
young can fly, when the colony disperses for a
season. Fish, frogs, and water insects form its
usual food ; but it will often snap up a mouse or a
rat, or even the chicks of the Coot and the Moor-
hen. Many a pleasant hour may be spent in the
woods frequented by Herons in watching their
return at evening to roost in the old accustomed
trees ; and every lover of Nature must regret that
the birds are not more common, and the sight of
the returning birds at sunset a more usual one to
the naturalist. The gray general colour of the
Heron, its black crest, black and white neck, and
broad nearly black wings, together with its large
size (length three feet), and long legs, make its
identification a most easy task.

With a glimpse at the wood-haunting Owls
and the Birds of Prey we will bring the present
ramble to a close, The woods are a refuge for at
least six of these interesting birds. They seek
most of their food, it is true, upon the more open
country, but the woods are their sanctuary, the
trees their fastness, during their hours of rest, and
during the vitally important period that they rear
their offspring. Perhaps the best known of the
Owls is the TAWNY OWL (Strix aluco\ a dweller

ii2 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

in the forests, where its far-sounding hoo-hoo-hoo-
at sunset unfailingly proclaims its presence. Here
in the forest glades during the bright moonlight
nights we may watch it flying to and fro between
its nest and the mice-infested fields. By station-
ing ourselves near the hollow tree which contains
the nest, we may watch the parent birds feeding
their young during all the short hours of a
summer's night ; and the noisy cries of the
clamouring young sound distinctly after each
bird's return with prey. It is rarely that the
Tawny Owl comes abroad in daylight, for then
it sleeps in its old haunt — usually its nesting-place
— in the hollow trees or rocks, amongst masses of
ivy, or in the dense crowns of the fir-trees. The
large size (length nineteen inches), absence of ear-
tufts, mottled brown, black, and chestnut upper
parts, white spotted wing - coverts, and buffish
underparts indistinctly streaked and more boldly
barred with brown, render this Owl's identification
easv- Our other woodland Owl is the LONG-
EARED OWL (S. otus), a resident in the pine woods
by preference, and a bird that is certainly extend-
ing its range in our islands, especially in the
northern districts, as spruce and fir woods are
planted. Its habits much resemble those of the
preceding species. It lives on mice especially,
and is a very early breeder. Both these Owls
make the slightest of nests, the Tawny Owl gene-
rally breeding in a hole in a tree or crevice in a
woodland rock ; the Long-eared Owl often annex-
ing a deserted nest of the Crow or Magpie or Hawk.
Both lay white eggs, those of the former species
usually being three or four, those of the latter
five or six in number. Many Long-eared Owls

THROUGH THE WOODS. 113

visit our islands in autumn from more northern
lands. The long ear-tufts, and streaked and
barred underparts, distinguish this Owl from its
British congeners.

The woodland birds of prey are perhaps more
interesting to the observer, because their habits
are readily observed. Few are the woods indeed
that we can wander through, especially in spring,
without noticing the KESTREL (Falco tinnunculus], widely

! . .r . ° •••ill i r i i distributed.

hanging as if by an invisible thread from the sky.
The Kestrel is the commonest Hawk of the
country, and is constantly thrusting itself into
notice. He is easily recognised as he poises
aloft on widespread wings and tail, scanning the
earth below in quest of the mice and coleop-
terous insects on which he feeds. Then his un-
mistakable chattering cry is a familiar sound
to the walker in the woods during May. He is
now about to begin family duties, and he and his
mate are busy searching for some old deserted
Magpie's nest in which the hen-bird will soon lay
her half-dozen handsome reddish brown eggs.
All Kestrels' "nests" that I have examined
sooner or later contained great numbers of pellets
composed of the refuse of the food cast up by
the old birds ; and by examining them we may
easily convince ourselves of this Hawk's sovereign
usefulness to man. Each pellet contains the
bones and skins of several mice, and perhaps the
hard, indigestible wing-cases of certain beetles.
No more harmless bird frequents the woods, yet
it is shot and trapped without mercy by ignorant
gamekeepers.

Very different, however, is the habit of the
SPARROW-HAWK (Accipiter nisus). He persecutes

n4 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

the small birds incessantly, and even levies toll
upon the young Pheasants and Partridges. The
Sparrow- Hawk is a warrior bird, famous for his
dash and daring, the terror of the woods and fields,
and though of short and rounded wing is capable
of flying like an arrow from a bow after his
quarry. He is never seen to poise and hover
like the Kestrel ; he sights his victim and flies it
down at once. The Sparrow- Hawk breeds rather
earlier than the Kestrel, and, unlike that bird,
always makes its own nest, which is usually placed
far up some forest tree, a platform of sticks,
slightly hollowed in the centre, and with no lining
save a scrap or two of bark, and perhaps a few
bits of down. The four or five eggs are re-
markably beautiful, being pale greenish blue in
ground colour, boldly splashed and spotted with
brown. In some of the extensive forests in
the northern parts of Scotland and on the
Scotland Welsh cliffs the COMMON BUZZARD (Buteo vul-
garis) still breeds. I have seen its big nest in
the crowns of the pine-trees ; and from what I
have observed the same place is visited annually,
so that we may infer this species pairs for life.
The nest is made of sticks, those in the lining
often with leaves upon them (as is the case with
the nest of the Sparrow-Hawk), and is very
similar to that of the preceding species, only
larger. The eggs, laid towards the end of April
or early in May, are three or four in number, and
vary from reddish to bluish white in ground
colour, blotched, spotted, and mottled with reddish
brown and pale gray. The food of this bird
consists of small animals, such as mice and moles,
small birds, coleopterous insects and frogs. Its

THROUGH THE WOODS. 115

flight is somewhat slow and laboured — indeed, all
the Buzzards are sluggish in their habits — with
none of the brilliant dash which characterises the
Falcons ; but the bird often soars to a great
height, flying in circles. Peculiarities of this bird
are its large size (length nearly two feet), brown
plumage, barred tail, long wings, and short tarsi.

Another species of woodland bird is the HOBBY England and
{Falco subbuteo) ; and fortunate the observer who butVerV '
may chance to know of a forest frequented by °'
this bold and handsome Hawk. Time was when
the Hobby haunted many of our wooded districts;
but they are few and far between to-day. Unlike
our other Hawks the Hobby is a regular bird of
passage, coming here in spring to rear its young,
and departing in autumn to more southern lands.
Like the Kestrel it breeds late, makes no nest,
and lays its four or five eggs in some deserted
home of the Crow or Magpie. These eggs are
very similar to those of the Kestrel, perhaps a
trifle larger and browner. Nothing can exceed
the boldness or the dashing swoop of the Hobby
upon its prey, waging war incessantly upon all
birds and mammals it is capable of overcoming.
The greed of collectors and the persecution of
gamekeepers are slowly exterminating this hand-
some bird, to the everlasting regret of naturalists
who take delight in watching the ways of this
bold buccaneer of the woods. The Kites and the
Buzzards — especially the HONEY BUZZARD (Perms very rare.
apivorus] — are now little more than traditions in Fo^st.
the field naturalist's calendar ; the Hobby is fast
becoming the same. It might here, perhaps, be
as well to remark that the Honey Buzzard —
another summer visitor to our forests, arriving in

I 2

n6 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

April or May and leaving in September and
October — still breeds in one or two favoured
spots, notably the New Forest. This bird also
is no nest-builder, but takes possession of the
deserted cradle of some Crow or Magpie, re-
lining it with green leaves. This habit of placing
green vegetation in the nest is a very curious one,
peculiar to a great many Raptorial birds, although
the object of such a proceeding is still a mystery
to us. The two or three eggs of the Honey
Buzzard are creamy white in ground colour,
clouded and blotched with rich purplish brown,
sometimes so densely as to hide all trace of the
shell colour. Their rotundity, peculiar waxy
appearance, and abundance of colouring matter,
readily distinguish them from the eggs of all other
species. The flight of this bird is very Buzzard-
like, and very beautiful ; but as the Honey
Buzzard obtains so much of its food on the
ground it is one of the least seen of the birds of
prey. Its food largely consists of the larvae of
wasps, which are dug out of their nests by the
bird's claws, of mice, frogs, lizards, bees, wasps,
and beetles. This bird is distinguished from all
other Raptores by its feathered lores. A further
distinction is the gray head.

The woods are also the resort occasionally
of many other birds whose proper haunt is else-
where, and which we have already met with or
are about to do so. Notably among these may
be cited the Cuckoo, the Grasshopper Warbler,
the Wren, and the Thrushes. In autumn and
winter especially are the woods the retreat of
many birds that do not frequent them much at
any other time. And then, again, if holly-trees
abound in the woods they are always an attrac-

THROUGH THE WOODS.

117

tion, especially during severe weather, for the
birds that feed on the berries.

SPECIES.

RESIDENT OR MIGRANT.

CALL OR ALARM
NOTE.

PREVAILING COLOURS.

Willow Wren .

April to September

Soft m\isica.lfor-eet

Olive-green above, pale

Chiffchaff . .

and October
April to October

Harsh turr

greenish yellow below
Browner green than

preceding, grayish

white below

Wood Wren .

April to September

Oft-repeated dee-

Yellowish green above,

ur ; alarm-note

white below, suffused

similar to Willow

on breast and flanks

Wren's

with yellow

Nightingale

April to September

Plaintive iveet ;

Russet - brown above,

alarm-note, harsh

tail chestnut, buffish

croak

white below

Creeper . . .

Resident

Shrill weet

Mottled brown and buff

above, grayish white

below

Goldcrest . .

Resident

Highly pitched

Olive - green above,

si-si-si

grayish brown below

Siskin . . .

Resident

Oft-repeated zit

Green above, yellow

below, top of head

and chin black

Common Cross-

Resident

Shrill and oft-

Crimson in male,

bill . . .

repeated zit

greenish yellow in

female

Crested Tit-

Resident

Oft-repeated si~

Above buffish brown,

mouse . .

si-si

grayish brown below,

long black and white

crest

Great Titmouse

Resident

Clear tsee-sa, oft-

Head black and white,

repeated ; ping-

above green and gray,

ping, si-si-si

below yellow and

black

Magpie . . .

Resident

Harsh chatter

Black and white

Jay ....

Resident

Harsh rark

Crest white and black,

vinous brown and

white above, below

pale vinous brown,

wings black and white

Carrion Crow .

Resident

Hoarse craw

Uniform greenish black

Great Spotted
Woodpecker

Resident

Shrill click

Black and white wings ;
and tail barred

Green Wood-

Resident

Loud clear hi-hi-h

Green and yellow above,

pecker . .

or kyu, kyu

pale grayish green

below, wings and tail

barred

Lesser Spotted

Resident

Loud kirrk

Similar to Picus major

Woodpecker

but smaller

n8

THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

SPECIES.

RESIDENT OR MIGRANT

CALL OR- ALARM
NOTE.

PREVAILING COLOURS.

Ring Dove . .

Resident

Soft rich coo

Slate-gray above, below

lavender and pink

Stock Dove .

Resident

Harsh guttural

Slate - gray above, la-

Turtle Dove .

May to September

coo
Soft coo

vender and pink below
Lavender and chestnut-

brown above, lavender

and white below

Pheasant . .

Resident

Harsh corrk

Head and neck metallic

green and purple ; rest

of plumage mottled

black, gold, buff, and

chestnut, with purplish

sheen

Woodcock . ,

Partial Migrant

Shrill skaych

Above mottled chest-

(most numerous

nut, black, and gray ;

October to March]

below grayish buff

barred with brown

Heron . . .

Resident

Guttural scream ;

Slate-gray above, black

alarm - note,

and white below,

harsh croak

wings nearly black

Tawny Owl .

Resident

Loud hoo-hoo-hoo

Mottled brown, black,

and chestnut above ;

buff, streaked and

barred with brown,

below

Long-eared Owl

Resident

Loud barking cry

Buff mottled with

brown above, lighter

buff streaked and

barred with brown

below

Kestrel . . .

Resident

Shrill chatter

Chestnut spotted with

black and slate-gray

above, fawn - colour

streaked with brown

below, wings nearly

black

Sparrow- Hawk

Resident

Harsh scream

Dark slate • colour

above, tail barred with

dark brown, rufous

barred with darker

brown below

Common

Resident

Clear pee-i-oo

Brown above, paler

Buzzard . .

brown below, tail

barred

Hobby . . .

April to October

Shrill chatter

Grayish black above,

white streaked with

blackish below

Honey Buzzard

April to October

Low chatter

Brown above and below,

tail with three black

bars, head gray

RAMBLE VI.

BY LAKES AND STREAMS.

WE now come to the bird life of the inland
waters — those feathered dwellers by the lake and
stream. Birds in plenty may be found in these
localities. The rivers and pools are the home of
a waterside population as specialised as it is in-
teresting. For the sake of simplicity I have
deemed it best to deal first with a little group
of birds only found in summer on the banks of
our northern waters. They are the birds of the
moorland streams and the mountain pools which
may be sought in vain near southern waters, and
include one or two of the rarest British species.

Nothing can exceed the romantic grandeur of
these dancing streams, set in a fringe of birch
and alder trees, or the beauty of the quiet, rush-
bordered mountain pools. Wherever the bed of
the stream is rocky, we are almost certain of
meeting with the GRAY WAGTAIL (Motacilla, sul- widely
phurea), a species bluish gray above, shading into S
green on the rump, yellow below, the male with
black throat. This graceful little bird appears
upon these northern streams with the first signs
of returning spring, and during the mild, breezy

120 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

April weather its short and fitful song may be
heard as the bird flutters into the air. It is often
seen first upon some rock or stone in the centre
of the torrent, beating its long tail up and down
as it poises on the wet, slippery surface ; and when
alarmed it speeds away in dipping flight to
another stone further up the stream, uttering its
shrill ckiz-zit as it goes. Another peculiarity of
the Gray Wagtail is its partiality for trees. It
perches more freely than any other bird in this
group, and may often be seen running along the
broad horizontal limbs as quickly as on the ground.
It feeds on insects, especially small flies and
beetles, and in winter often picks up small seeds.
All the Wagtails are examples of agile grace, but
the present species especially so. Nothing can
be more daintily graceful than the way it trips
along the mud and sand by the waterside, or
wades through the shallows, now and then standing
in them to wash and preen its plumage. The
nest of the Gray Wagtail can be sought for with
greatest certainty of success during the month of
May. It is rarely built far from the stream, and
is often placed under a jutting rock, or a flat
stone lying amongst the tangled vegetation on
the bank. It is made of dry grass and rootlets,
and lined with finer roots, hair, or feathers. The
five or six eggs are greenish or yellowish brown,
mottled and spotted with darker brown, and some-
times a few nearly black streaks occur, as if
scratched on with a pen. The young and their
parents keep together for some time after the
former leave the nest. When severe weather
comes the Gray Wagtails desert the upland
streams, and during winter may be met with

BY LAKES AND STREAMS. 121

more or less commonly wherever there is open
water.

Here in a few chosen localities by the water-
side in the grand old birch and alder copses
we may sometimes meet with the PIED FLY- Mountain-

/ -n /r • • -77 \ r i ous districts

CATCHER (Miiscicapa atricapilla), one of the j^j168'
rarest and most local of our British birds. He England
cannot readily be confused with any other species ; Scotland.
his black upper plumage and white forehead and
lower parts render him easy to distinguish. His
black and white wings and tail are also very con-
spicuous during flight. The female is browner
generally, but the wings are enough to determine
the species. The Pied Flycatcher is a summer mi-
grant to this country, arriving in April and leaving
in September. Its habits are very similar to those
of the better known Spotted Flycatcher. It lives
on insects, catching them in the same way as
that bird ; but it differs considerably in the method
of its nidification. We rarely see the Pied Fly-
catcher far away from woods and coppices where
decayed trees are abundant, and in a hole of these
it usually rears its young. Sometimes it uses
a hole in a rock instead, just as the Redstart
will. The nest is well made of dry grass, moss,
wool, hair, and feathers, and the eggs, from
six to eight in number, are a beautiful pale
turquoise-blue without markings.

Upon the banks of the mountain streams and
lakes we may always depend upon finding the
COMMON SANDPIPER ( Totamis hypo^icus] between widely
the months of April and September. Its upper commooest'
plumage is olive-brown, the underparts pure Derbyshire,
white, and a white band across the wings is very
conspicuous during flight. It is usually flushed

122 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

from the waterside, where it trips to and fro
in quest of the worms and insects which compose
its food ; and the impressions of its little feet
may be seen pricked in the mud and sand every-
where round the shore. When disturbed it rises
hurriedly with a shrill weet-weet, and speeds across
the water, its recurved wings often striking the
surface as it flies along. It is most attached U>
its haunt, and summer after summer comes back
to make its nest in one particular spot. Some-
times it is seen, especially during the love season,
running along the rough walls or the tops of
gates, with wings arched or drooping, paying
court to its mate. About a month after their
arrival these Sandpipers begin to breed. Their
nest is seldom placed far from water of some
description. If not on the absolute shore of
the mountain pool, it is on the banks of one
of the feeder streams near by. It is usually built
under the shelter of a heather bush or a tuft
of grass, and very often where the ground is
sandy and pebble-strewn — a simple little nest
enough, merely a hollow lined with a few bits
of dead herbage. Here the female lays four
eggs, very large in comparison to the size of
the parent, pale buff in ground colour, blotched
and spotted with dark and light brown and
violet-gray. This bird will often be observed
to engage in various antics when frightened
from its nest, rolling and tumbling along the
ground as if wounded, seeking to decoy the in-
truder from the sacred spot where its eggs
are resting. Their colour, however, harmonises
closely with surrounding objects, and they are
only discovered by the closest scrutiny, save by

BY LAKES AND STREAMS. 123

those whose experience has taught them just
where to seek.

Far away on the northern lakes and pools,
especially among that utter wilderness of rock and
heath and water which forms the Outer Hebrides,
in one or two highly favoured localities we may
meet with the RED-NECKED ^uKLK^o^^Pkalaropus
hyperboreus), a little wading bird that may be Hebrides.
distinguished from all other species by its lobed
feet and aquatic habits. It is as much of a water
bird as the Moorhen or the Coot, yet no bigger
than a Skylark, and remarkable for the chestnut
patch on either side of the neck and its sharp-
pointed beak. But small caution is required in
observing these charming birds, for they are tame
and confiding in the extreme. They may be seen
swimming about the little pools, with head lobbing
to and fro, ever and anon snapping at passing
insects, or exploring the vegetation round the
water for similar fare. The Red-necked Phala-
rope is migratory, arriving at its breeding-places
in May, and by far the greater part of its
time is spent in the water. It especially delights
in those pools surrounded by marshy moors,
and occasional patches of higher and drier
ground. They are sociable little birds, and though
their nests may be scattered up and down the
moors, they meet at the favourite pools and swim
in company all the summer through. The nest
is seldom made far from water, but generally
well concealed among the herbage of the moor.
It is but a mere hollow, in which a few bits of
dry vegetation are strewn, and the eggs, four in
number, are buffish brown, spotted and blotched
with dark brown and gray. It is a noteworthy

124 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

fact that the female Red-necked Phalarope is
bigger than the male, and her colours are the
brightest ; the cock-bird, therefore, hatches the
eggs, and takes the greater part of the duties of
rearing the young. During the breeding season
this species utters a low note sounding like weet.
As soon as the young are strong upon the wing
the southern movement commences, and by the
end of August they have quitted their upland
haunts until the following spring, wintering in
warmer lands across the sea.

Still keeping to the lochs and streams of the

Highlands we may by rare good fortune sometimes

scotch meet with the OSPREY (Pandionhaliaetus). Slowly,

mainland, , 11*1 i i • i • i • •

ROSS, but surely, this handsome bird is becoming extinct

Inverness. i i • • i i i

as a breeding species ; indeed, but one or two
pairs are now known in haunts where " once upon
a time " they were by no means uncommon. It
is a summer visitor to these Highland solitudes,
and during the seasons of its migration is not un-
frequently observed in England. It feeds on fish,
catching them by plunging Gannet-like into the
water as it hovers above the clear pools. It is a
bird of remarkable power of wing, flying to and
fro above the lochs on pinions that never seem to
tire. The Osprey returns yearly to its breeding-
place, which is either a tall pine-tree or an island
ruin, where it makes a bulky nest of sticks and
turf, lined with fine grass. The eggs, two or
three in number, are yellowish white, beautifully
blotched, spotted, and clouded with deep reddish or
purplish brown and orange-red. A bird so rare
as the Osprey can only claim a passing notice.

Two species of Divers may be met with
breeding on the banks and islands of the secluded

BY LAKES AND STREAMS. 125

Highland lochs. Of these the RED-THROATED west and
DIVER (Colymbus septentrionalis) is by far the Scotland
commonest and most widely distributed, the
BLACK-THROATED DIVER (C. aretes) being more west and
local. The habits of both birds are very similar. Scotland.
Their true haunt is the water, where they swim
and dive with marvellous skill, feeding principally
on fish. They fly well, but upon the land are
clumsy and awkward, shuffling along with their
breasts upon the ground owing to the fact that
their legs are placed so far backwards. Both
birds utter a wild and piercing scream, which
sounds like the shrieks of persons being tortured,
most persistently in spring and before rain. Both
birds breed in May and June, making slight nests
of grass and aquatic herbage, a few feet from the
water's edge, or on an island in the loch amongst
the coarse grass. Of the two the nest of the
Black-throated Diver is perhaps the most elabo-
rate ; the Red-throated Diver sometimes being
content with a mere hollow on the shore. Each
species lays two eggs, olive -brown in ground
colour, spotted with dark brown. The Black-
throated Diver's are the darkest and least profusely
spotted. When the young are reared the birds
begin to wander, and during winter especially,
visit our southern waters, becoming much more
oceanic in their habits. These two birds are
readily distinguished in breeding plumage by the
respective colours of the throat, being purplish
black in the one, and reddish chestnut in the
other, as the English names imply.

We will now betake ourselves to southern
waters, more accessible to the observer, where
we shall not fail to find birds, if not so rare,

126 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

yet quite as interesting and much more widely
dispersed.

On most streams sufficiently swift-flowing and
widely rocky of bed the DIPPER (Cinclus aquaticus) is
sure to be met with. He loves the stream where
it flows the quickest, where its waters are troubled
and toss in mad career, foam-flecked and noisy,
over the moss-grown boulders ; the dark, deep
pools below the falls, where the spotted trout and
grayling lurk, and where the shrews, the rats, and
the otters have their habitation. These are the
haunts most favoured by the Dipper. You cannot
possibly mistake him for any other species. His
brown upper plumage, white throat, and rufous
breast, together with the habit of plunging head-
long into the stream at intervals, are quite
enough to unfailingly proclaim his identity.
Summer and winter alike he dwells by the stream,
and in spring his short glad song sounds fitfully
amidst the roar, and the gurgle, and the babble
of the never-silent waters. It will be remarked
by the careful observer that each particular pair
of Dippers seem to hold a vested right in certain
lengths of the stream, which they are prone to
guard from encroachment. This pretty bird is
almost as active as a Wren, for ever skipping and
flying about ; now on the land or the water-girdled
rocks, anon in the stream itself, where he is as
much at home as the fish themselves, coming to
the surface at intervals for breath. Indeed, much
of his insect food is obtained amongst the stones
and sand, moss and pebbles at the bottom of the
stream. He flies low, yet quickly, following the
windings of the stream, and often utters a low,
feeble chirp just as he rises into the air. In addi-

BY LAKES AND STREAMS. 127

tion to insects, he will also eat worms and grubs,
and even small fry. The Dipper breeds early,
commencing its nest in a favourable season during
the first week in April. Its nest is one of the
most beautiful examples of bird architecture known
— a spherical structure, like that of the Wren,
made externally of the greenest moss, and lined
with dry grass and leaves. This wondrous nest
is wedged in some crevice of the wet rocks, or
under the bank of the stream, amongst the ex-
posed roots of trees. Here, in many instances,
the humidity of the situation preserves the outer
portion of the nest from withering, and we might
easily pass it by as an unusually fine cluster of
greenest moss ! The tell-tale hole at the side,
near the top, betrays the secret, however, and by
inserting a couple of fingers we may take out the
four or five shining white eggs and examine them.

Upon many of these same streams the KING- widely
FISHER (Alcedo ispida) may be met with ; indeed,
he is even far more widely dispersed, and has his
residence on streams and rivers that are much too
sluggish for the Dipper. He frequents the drains
and sluices, too, and even the lakes and pools. I
have also known him to take up his quarters near
the smallest of ponds in private grounds, and rear
his young beside them. The gorgeous cobalt-blue
and green and chestnut of the Kingfisher enable
us to recognise him, no matter however fleeting
may be our glimpse of him as he glides arrow-
like over the water, often uttering his plaintive
seep-seep as he goes. I know of few prettier sights
than that of a Kingfisher seeking his food.
Only the other day I was wandering along the
wooded banks of a Surrey streamlet, and I stood

128 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

to rest a moment on a rough beam which does
duty for a foot-bridge. Almost directly a King-
fisher flew along the stream towards me, and
dropped upon the long bare branch of a sycamore
which grew above a pool. How brightly his
plumage shone in the gloom of the archingbranches.
how sharply defined his reflection in the still, clear
water ! Soon he dropped with a splash into the
stream, and the minnow he had caught struggled
for its life as the bird flew away down-stream with
his victim. Three times was this operation re-
peated from the self-same branch within half an
hour, and then, his appetite apparently satisfied,
he flew under the bridge on which I was standing
away up the stream, and I saw him no more. It
is such little incidents as these that endow Orni-
thology with its greatest charm. The Kingfisher
is a resident in our islands, but the naturalist will
note that its numbers are increased in autumn
by birds from more northern latitudes. Small fish
and various insects and mollusks inhabiting the
water are the food of this species. Kingfishers
pair for life, and return year by year to the old
nesting-place. This is in a hole in the banks of
the stream, either one made by the birds them-
selves or the old burrow of a rat. At the end of
this tunnel the eggs are laid on a platform of fish-
bones, often surrounded by a mass of putrid fish.
From such a filthy hole we should scarcely expect
to take eight such spotless, glossy white eggs
(they are a delicate pink before blowing), but
such is the case, although how they escape be-
coming as dirty as the eggs of the Gannet or
the Grebe is a mystery.

Two species of Warbler are also closely

BY LAKES AND STREAMS. 129

associated with the waterside. The most aquatic
of these is the REED WARBLER (Acrocepkalus south Or
streperus], although it is not so universally dis- Sw! iSgf
tributed. Both are migrants, arriving in "this tu
country about the middle of April, but of the
two the SEDGE WARBLER (A. phragmitis) is widely
perhaps a little the earlier. Although both love dlstrlbuted-
an aquatic haunt, there is considerable difference
between the localities frequented by each. The
Reed Warbler, as his name implies, is by choice
a dweller in the reeds and willows ; the Sedge
Warbler frequents the tangled underwood by the
waterside and the swampy thickets in the
spinneys. The narrow reed-choked dykes of
our southern and eastern counties are the Reed
Bird's paradise. Here, among the tall green
stems and streaming leaves, he lives in that
seclusion his retiring nature loves ; here, from
morn till even, and at intervals during the night,
he sings his rambling song as he clings to the
reeds ; and we often obtain fleeting glimpses of
him as he hops from stalk to stalk with marvellous
speed through the dense cover, or flits across
the water-ways, or flutters into the air above
his haunt to drop down again at once into its
verdant shelter. Nests of this bird are common
enough among the reeds and willows during
the month of June. It is a curious and wonderful
cradle, this nest of the Reed Warbler, suspended
over the water between the willow twigs, or
supported by three or four of the green reeds.
It is made of dry grass-stalks and withered leaves
of the reeds, sometimes a little moss, and lined
with fine rootlets. The eggs are four or five
in number, very pale blue in ground colour,

130 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

spotted and blotched with olive-brown and gray.
The parent birds become very noisy when their
haunts are invaded, and their scolding notes are
uttered as they flit from reed to reed all anxious
for the safety of their home. The food of this
species and of the Sedge Warbler is almost
exclusively composed of the insects of the water-
side and their larvae. These two birds some-
what closely resemble each other, but the Sedge
Warbler is russet-brown above, the feathers with
dark centres, the pale buff eyestripe is very
clearly defined, and the underparts are buffish
white ; the Reed Warbler is more olive on the
upper parts, the feathers having no dark centres,
the underparts are more inclined to buff, and the
eyestripe is nearly obsolete.

The voice of the Sedge Warbler is often
heard from the thickets at nightfall, and only
too often his melody is ascribed to a much
sweeter singer, namely, the Nightingale. He
is a most persistent singer ; indeed, all of these
riverside Warblers are, and the least provocation
is enough to send him into loudest song. The
Sedge Warbler is shy and retiring in his habits,
far more often heard than seen, and the peeps
we do get of his little brown form are transitory
and uncertain. Far more frequently his harsh
call-note of turr-turr is the only indication of
his presence, or mayhap the gentle trembling
of the twigs in the densest part of the thicket.
The nest of this bird may also be sought with
success in early June. It is made among the
tangled vegetation, often as much as ten feet
or more from the ground ; dry grass and the
dead leaves of aquatic plants form the outer

BY LAKES AND STREAMS. 131

portion, finer grass and often a few hairs complete
the lining. The four or five eggs are dirty white
in ground colour, thickly mottled with yellowish
brown, and occasionally with a few hair-like
scratches of dark brown. Few nests are so
simple as the Sedge Bird's. Both these birds
begin their southern migration in September ;
but as they are of such skulking habits, and
are then almost silent, it is often difficult to state
the exact time of their departure.

The dainty little PIED WAGTAIL (Motacilla widely
yarrellii) is another bird we are sure to meet distributed
with by the waterside, summer and winter alike,
although, be it remarked, this species is often
met with far from the pond or stream, on the
open fallows, especially in spring. It is very
fond of frequenting the streams and rivers that
flow through the meadows, and is often met with
by the side of the cattle-pond in the pastures.
You cannot well mistake him in his black and
white dress as he runs daintily about the bank,
or trips to and fro among the feeding cattle and
horses, beating his tail rapidly up and down,
and taking little flights before us as we advance,
uttering his cheery chiz-zit as he rises, and oft
repeating it at every dip of his undulatory course.
Many Pied Wagtails appear to leave this country
in autumn, especially from the more northern
districts, and return in spring ; at both seasons
they may be seen in parties, and during the
winter in most localities they are perceptibly
rarer than in summer. The Pied Wagtail
possesses a sweet and varied song, but its
drawbacks are its shortness and the fitfulness
of its utterance. Sometimes during spring we

K 2

132 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

see the cock-birds rise into the air for a little
way and warble their song, or even whilst sitting
on a stone or in the branches of trees they may
be heard to do so. Small worms, insects and
their larvae, and tiny seeds, are the Pied Wag-
tail's food. The nest of this bird is made in
a variety of situations, although always on the
ground, or in crevices of walls and rocks, never
in the branches. A favourite place is under a
stone, in a dry drain-pipe, or beneath a tile in
the brick-fields. The nest is made of dry grass,
moss, and rootlets, and lined with hair, wool, and
feathers. The eggs are four or five, very pale blue
in ground colour, speckled and spotted with
different shades of grayish brown. The Cuckoo
often selects the nest of this bird in which to
place her alien egg. The young are fed for
some time after leaving the nest, generally doing
so before they are able to fly. This habit of
tending the young after they have left the nest
is peculiar to all the species usually selected by
the Cuckoo, which is a wise proceeding on the
part of that species, for were the foster parents
in the habit of abandoning their young at once,
the young Cuckoo would invariably be left to
starve.

By the side of the slowly flowing streams, and
on e banks °f canals and ponds, the REED
BUNTING (Emberiza schcenichis), also has its resi-
dence. You may identify him by his black head
and throat, white cheeks and collar, and chestnut
and black upper parts. The female is not so
conspicuous, wanting the black head and throat
and white collar, these parts being reddish brown.
Like the Pied Wagtail this bird may often be

BY LAKES AND STREAMS. 133

met with at a considerable distance from water,
especially in winter ; but swampy ground is pre-
ferred. Very often this pretty bird will first be
seen, especially in spring, clinging to some reed
or twig overhanging the water, and at this season
you may hear his monotonous song. This sounds
something like see-sa, see-sa, see-sa-sur-rr-r ; whilst
the call - note is a prolonged seese. As you
approach the bird takes wing, and in undulatory
flight hastens along the waterside to another
perch again to await your advance, and then
again to flit onwards. Again and again he flies
away and alights ; again you disturb him ; until
perchance he doubles over the water and returns
to his old haunt. His nest is made on the bank
by the waterside, sometimes in a cluster of
rushes on the marshy ground or beneath a shel-
tering bush. It is made of dry grass and bits of
withered aquatic herbage, lined with fine roots
and a little horsehair. The four or five eggs are
dirty white or grayish olive in ground colour,
streaked and spotted with purplish brown and
gray. These markings are nothing near so
tangled or profuse as those on the eggs of the
Yellow Bunting. During summer the Reed
Bunting feeds almost exclusively on insects and
larvae ; but in autumn and winter it becomes a
seed - eater ; and it is in search of this fare,
especially during hard weather, that we meet
with the bird away from the waterside, on the
stubbles and weedy pastures, on the highways,
and even in the farmyards.

Whilst studying bird life by the waterside we
cannot help noticing the Swallow, the Martins,
and the Swift, which flock above the pool and

i34 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

chase their insect prey to and fro round the
banks. There is something specially interesting
about these birds at the waterside during the
late autumn days. Many of these rivers and
pools are chosen gathering-places, sanctioned by
custom, where for years uncounted these little
fleet-winged hosts have been wont to congregate
and spend the last few days of their residence
with us ere speeding south. The air is thronged
with happy fluttering birds, coursing through the
air in all directions — high up towards the clouds
and low down just above the water's surface ; in
mid-air or like specks against the distant blue.
Here, there, and everywhere, Swallows and
Martins mixed indiscriminately together ; but
the latter species generally preponderating. All
are waiting for the hour of departure ; the old
birds as eager now to leave us and approaching
winter behind them, as they were to reach our
country in the spring ; the young, perhaps, filled
with wondering curiosity at the unusual gathering,
widely The most aquatic of the Swallows is the SAND

MARTIN (Cotile riparia), distinguished from the
rest of its kindred by its brown and sombre
upper plumage. It therefore deserves a more
detailed notice in the present chapter, but the
other species we have already dealt with else-
where (see pp. 17, 1 8). The Sand Martin, as its
name implies, is a bird of the sand, making its
nest in earth cliffs ; and wherever a suitable bank
is to be found near the waterside a colony of
these interesting little creatures will almost in-
variably be met with. Not that they always
establish their colony by the waterside, for many
favoured places are far from the pool, notably in

BY LAKES AND STREAMS. 135

railway cuttings, quarries, and sand-pits. The
Sand Martin is the first Swallow to arrive,
usually making its appearance in Yorkshire by
the middle of April, and the old haunts are
frequented season after season. Nesting duties
begin in May. Each pair has its burrow in the
sandy cliff, which is made by the birds themselves
scratching out the loose soil for a depth of two or
three feet. At the end of this gallery a slight
nest of dry grass and feathers is loosely and
carelessly arranged, in which the four or five
pure white eggs are laid. The scene at a Sand
Martin colony is busy and animated in the ex-
treme. All day long the little brown birds are
fluttering to and fro, entering and leaving their
nests, burrowing their tunnels, or feeding their
young. Insects are their only food.

Two other birds of the fresh waters may here
be aptly noticed. First of these is the MOORHEN widely
(Gallinula chloropus). Provided there is but adi:
small amount of seclusion and privacy, the Moor-
hen or Waterhen is almost sure to be met witL
It is not a very fastidious bird, and will take up
its residence even on the pools of stagnant water
below railway embankments, on weed-grown fish-
ponds, on mill-dams, and on rivers wherever
there are still flowing reaches and quiet corners.
Its dark greenish brown upper plumage, white
longest under tail-coverts, white striped flanks,
and crimson forehead are marks of distinction
easily noted by the most superficial glance. The
Moorhen is as much at home in the water as on
the land. It swims and dives with ease ; walks
and runs well ; and hops about the branches and
perches in them as skilfully as the true perching

136 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

birds. The Moorhen is resident in this country,
and remains in its accustomed haunts as long as
they are free from ice. This bird swims with a
peculiar bobbing motion of the head ; and whilst
walking about the land it frequently flicks its short
tail. Its note is a peculiarly grating cry, some-
thing like the word kick pronounced in several
syllables. This note is often heard as the bird
flies to and fro in the darkness of night. The
Moorhen feeds on worms, snails, small fish, and
various kinds of insects and their larvae, as well as
on the tender shoots and seeds of aquatic plants.
This bird is rather an early breeder, in many
districts its eggs being laid by the middle of
April. In the love season it is a somewhat pug-
nacious bird, and two rival males may sometimes
be observed in conflict. I once observed two
males fighting, the females quietly looking on in
the background. They raised their wings over
their back till the tips of the primaries were
almost directly above the head, and fought with
their beaks with great pertinacity, all the time
uttering a series of sharp but tremulous clicking
notes. The nest of this bird is usually made
amongst the flags and rushes by the waterside,
often several yards from shore. It is a bulky pile
of dead flags and rushes and leaves, and lined
with fine grass or dry rush and leaves of aquatic
vegetation. The eggs are from six to twelve in
number, reddish white in ground colour, somewhat
sparingly blotched and spotted with brownish red
and gray. The female sits closely, and generally
with head to wind ; but she is always careful to
cover her eggs, which she does remarkably

BY LAKES AND STREAMS. 137

quickly, before slipping off into the water or
rushes. I have often noticed this bird return to
her nest on the wing, poising above it with rapidly
beating pinions until she has finally settled down
over her eggs. The downy black chicks take to
the water at once, where they swim and dive
almost as well as their parents.

In very similar situations to those frequented
by the Moorhen we may also find the COOT widely but
(Fulua atra\ a much bigger and darker-looking SSbSSd7
bird, with a very conspicuous white frontal shield, preceding
Its habits are much the same as those of the sp
preceding species, and it makes a similar nest ;
but the eggs, from six to twelve, are very pale
buff in ground colour, speckled and dusted with
dark blackish brown and gray. The Coot feeds
much on grass, and may often be seen in the
meadows near its watery haunts grazing just like
a Goose. Like the Moorhen this bird is an
accomplished swimmer and diver, but its feet
are lobed. In autumn and winter Coots often
assemble into large flocks, congregating in certain
favoured spots near the low-lying eastern coasts,
on the Broads ; but it is probable that many of
these birds are migrants. The Coot is also more
of a marine bird in winter than the Moorhen, and
at all times is more of a feeder on fish than that
species. Its loud clear note of Ko oft repeated
is very characteristic.

From the Moorhen and the Coot it is an easy
step to the Grebes. Two species of these birds
breed in our islands, but by far the commoner
and more widely distributed is the LITTLE GREBE widely

• T . r , i r distributed.

(Podiceps minor]. It is found on many sheets ot

138 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

water in company with the Moorhen, although it
is not so generally dispersed. The province of
the Little Grebe — in fact, of all the Grebes — \spar
excellence the water. It may be said to pass most
of its waking hours therein ; and consequently is
skilful beyond description in the art of swimming
and diving. The Little Grebe is readily dis-
tinguished from the other Grebes by its small size,
and from all other birds by its peculiar satin-like
plumage and lobed feet. It is a restless little
creature enough, swimming to and fro, and every
now and then darting beneath the surface in the
twinkling of an eye, reappearing again in a few
moments with the water rolling off its compact
plumage in silver beads. Although its legs are
placed so far backwards, it is able to run about
the land with considerable dexterity, and makes
its way through the tangled aquatic vegetation
with surprising speed. Like the Moorhen it is
closely attached to its haunt, never wandering
far away unless driven out by continued frost.
At such times these birds make towards the
coast, where in the brackish backwaters, drains,
and broads they can find sufficient food. Their
numbers are also increased in winter by birds
from more northern lands. The note of this
engaging bird is a shrill weet or tweet. The
Little Grebe makes its bulky nest among the
flags and rushes, often some distance from shore,
early in the spring. This is a mass of aquatic
rubbish piled together into a conical heap, at the
top of which a hollow is formed and lined with
finer and drier materials. In this, about the end
of April, the hen - bird lays four or five eggs,

BY LAKES AND STREAMS. , 139

pointed oval in shape, and pale bluish white in
colour, although they soon become stained and
discoloured by the wet feet of the sitting bird,
and by the damp materials with which they are
covered every time she leaves them. As soon
as the chicks are hatched they take to the water ;
and in some cases as many as three broods are
reared in succession.

The Great Crested Grebe is a much more
local species, and prefers larger sheets of water,
especially the Broads ; and as we have devoted
a ramble specially to the bird life of that district
we will reserve our observations until then (see
p. 197). At least seven species of Ducks, in
addition to the Mallard, breed sparingly near our
inland waters. Five of them belong to the non-
diving Ducks. Of the former the PINTAIL
(Anas acuta) breeds sparingly in Ireland (eggs
seven to ten, buffish green) ; the WIGEON (A.
penelope\ as locally in the Highlands (eggs seven
to twelve, buffish white); the GARGANEY (A. circia)
in one of our eastern English counties (eggs eight
to twelve, yellowish white). The SHOVELLER (A.
clypeata) (eggs six to ten, buffish white), and the
TEAL (A. crecca) (eggs eight to ten, cream colour,
sometimes tinged with green), are more widely
dispersed, wherever there are haunts suitable
and secluded enough for their requirements. Of
the latter or diving Ducks, the POCHARD (Fuligula
ferina) (eggs eight to twelve, pale brownish green),
and the TUFTED DUCK (F. cristata) (eggs like
preceding in number and colour, only trifle
smaller), both breed locally in quiet districts where
they are protected. In their nesting economy

140 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

all these birds very closely resemble the Mallard,
and as our space is limited, a detailed description)
is unnecessary.

Whilst by the waterside we may often watch
the Heron at his piscatorial labours. We have
already seen him at home among the trees ; he
comes hither for the purpose of feeding. A Heron
standing in the shallows or on the banks is
always a picturesque addition to the scene. Silent
and still as though carved in stone he stands,
his bright yellow eye intently fixed upon the
water, neck drawn into an S-like curve, and
long spear-shaped beak ready to dart down and
impale any fish or frog that may be unwary
enough to come within reach. Like all fishers
he is the very soul of patience, and hour after
hour he watches and watches, and waits and
waits for his prey. When gorged with food you
may see him rise slowly above the rushes and
the trees and wing his way homewards to the
accustomed roost. He comes with great regularity
to certain fishing stations, often flying consider-
able distances to do so. There are many other
birds to be noticed by the waterside, especially
in the trees by the stream in autumn and winter.
The alders are often thronged with REDPOLES,
with TITMICE, and more interesting still, with
SISKINS. This latter little bird quits its northern
forests for the winter, and wanders far and wide
in quest of food. Then may we see it by the
southern streams, hopping about the alders in.
ever-changing attitudes, flying from tree to tree
in a merry, noisy, restless party, regaling itself
on the tiny seeds. Then to the waterside come
a great variety of birds to wash and to preen

BY LAKES AND STREAMS.

141

themselves, and in hard weather the banks of
these open waters are the last refuge of a
multitude of others.

SPECIES.

RESIDENT OR MIGRANT.

CALL OR ALARM
NOTE.

PREVAILING COLOURS.

Gray Wagtail .

Resident

Shrill chiz-zit

Slate-gray and green

above, yellow below,

throat black in male

Pied Flycatcher

April to September

Oft-repeated

Black above, white

double note

below, wings and tail

black and white

Common Sand-

April to September

Plaintive weet

Greenish brown above,

piper . . .

white below, wings

with white bar across

Red - necked

May to August

Low weet

Slate-gray and chest-

Phalarope .

nut above, white below

Osprey . .

April *o October

Oft-repeated kai;

Head white streaked

alarm-note,harsh

with brown, above

scream

dark brown shot with

purple, below white

banded with brown

«•

across breast

Red-throated

Resident

Oft-repeated ak ;

Brownish black above,

Diver . . .

unearthly screams

white below, lower

at breeding-

throat chestnut

grounds

Black-throated

Resident

Oft-repeated ak ;

Black shot with purple

Diver . . .

unearthly screams

above, square-shaped

at breeding-

white spots on scapu-

grounds

lars and back, white

below, lower throat

purplish black

Dipper . . .

Resident

Low double chit

Slate-gray above, chin

to breast white, re-

mainder chestnut •

brown

Kingfisher . .

Resident

Plaintive seep

Above greenish and

clear cobalt - blue,

below rich chestnut

Reed Warbler .

April to September

Harsh turr

Olive-brown with rufous

and October

tinge above, buff and

white below

Sedge Warbler

April to September

Harsh turr

Russet - brown above,

and October

feathers with dark

centres, eyestripe and

underparts buffish

white

Pied Wagtail .

Partial Migrant

Shrill chiz-zit

Black and white

142

THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

SPECIES.

RESIDENT ORMIGRANT.

CALL OR ALARM

NOTE.

PREVAILING COLOURS.

Reed Bunting .

Resident

Prolonged seese

Chestnut and black

above, collar and

underparts white,,

throat black

Sand Martin .

April to September

Harsh ret

Upper parts and chest

and October

mouse - brown, re-

mainder of under-

parts white

Moorhen . .

Resident

Harsh kick

Greenish brown above,

slate-gray below

Coot ....

Resident

Loud ko

Slate-gray, darkest on

head and neck, white

wing-bar

Little Grebe .

Resident

Shrill weet

Dark brown above,

throat, cheeks, and

fore-neck chestnut, re-

mainder of underparts

rusty black, secon-

daries brown and whi te

RAMBLE VII.

ON THE MOORS, THE COMMONS, AND THE
HEATHS.

ONCE more the birds of our rambles change with
the change of scene. The wild and lonely moors,
those vast tracts of heather and bilberry, mingled
with bogs, half concealed by cotton-grass and
rushes, and studded with still, deep pools of clear
peat-dyed water, and broken into ridges and edges
of bare rocks and boulder-strewn hillsides, are the
chosen haunts of birds we may never meet else-
where. These moors are almost as little changed
as the mountains. They are too rugged and too
poor of soil to repay the agriculturist for reclaim-
ing them ; too bleak, too inaccessible, and too far
removed from centres of industry to tempt even
the most daring of speculative builders to adver-
tise them as eligible sites for modern residences —
and so they have been left in peace through half
a century of revolution and improvement, and
thus the wild birds that dwell upon their broad
acres are still in undisturbed possession of their
ancient strongholds, and bid fair loag to remain
so. Perhaps even their breezy wastes may ulti-
mately succumb to the modern spirit of democracy

i44 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

now abroad amongst us ; and we may even yet
live to see them parcelled out into allotments for
a working man's Arcadia, if the party cry of
" three acres and a cow " be started once more in
earnest by ousted politicians thirsting for plunder,
place, and power, and eager to climb thereto
upon the shoulders of their easily duped consti-
tuents, or at the cost of wrecking institutions that
are a Briton's pride the wide world over. But
birds and politics ill agree, and we trust the moor-
lands may never become the arena of party war-
fare, and may long be free from aught but their
feathered inhabitants. With this expression of
opinion we will make our way upon them in quest
of ornithological knowledge.

The most characteristic bird of the moors is
widely the RED GROUSE (Tetrao scoticus). He is the one

distributed. i_ • j r • ,1 • i

Except s. or bird we arQ sure of meeting upon their brown
drawn from wastes, no matter what the time or season we
choose to walk across them. He is by no means
easily overlooked ; for he stands conspicuously
enough upon the big boulders of millstone grit,
or even on the copings of the dry walls that
separate the moors from the highway and the
rough upland pastures. Then he rises from our
feet with a soul-stirring whirr of wing and a
startling cry of go-bac, bac-bac-bac, and flies across
the heather or skims over the shoulder of the hill
to find that solitude his soul best loves. Summer
or winter he is just the same — the one bird that
is inseparably associated with the heather. We
Britishers should feel proud of him ; for small
as our islands are, he may only be met with on
their moorland wastes ; he is peculiar to our
country — our one national bird, the island repre-

ON MOORS, COMMONS, AND HEATHS. 145

tentative of the widely ranging Willow Grouse
(T. albus]. Although highly prized as a bird of
sport, the Red Grouse is, with the sole exception
of the Ptarmigan, the least dependent upon man's
protection for existence. Indeed, it is more than
probable that man's efforts to preserve and breed
it for the sport it yields, in many cases end in
failure ; and the periodical visitations of " Grouse
•disease" that ravage and depopulate miles of
moorland, are largely due to his meddlesome
interference with the Moorfowl's economy. The
Red Grouse is monogamous, pairing in kearly
spring, when the packs or flocks disperse them-
selves for the duties of the year. Even in the
breeding season, however, the bird is far from
being unsociable, and all the summer through
may be observed more or less gregarious. Ac-
cording to the season and the locality, the hen-
bird goes to nest from the early part of April to
the end of May, making a scanty home on the drier
parts of the moor by preference, under the shelter
of a heather-bush or amongst the tall ling. Here
she lays from eight to twelve very handsome eggs,
white in ground colour where it can be seen,
but thickly mottled and spotted over most of the
surface with rich purplish brown. Their beauty,
however, is easily destroyed ; for the colouring
matter is readily washed off, when they are fresh
especially ; and very often the wet feet and
plumage of the brooding hen disfigure them much.
The brown plumage of the Grouse is remarkably
protective amongst the brown heath, and the
sitting bird remains upon her home until almost
trodden upon before she will leave it. Although,
strictly speaking, a ground bird, the Red Grouse

i46 THE BIRDS O* OUR RAMBLES.

occasionally perches in trees wherever such are
growing in its haunts. The buds and tender
shoots of the all-prevailing heath are the favourite
food of the Red Grouse ; and this fare is varied
in summer by insects and grubs, and in autumn
by the various ground fruits that flourish on the
moors, as well as seeds.

Almost as closely associated with the heather
as the Red Grouse is the RING OUSEL (Merula
R«S- south torquata). I always fancy that there is a stalwart
independence about these birds of the heather
unknown in any other species, which they take
every opportunity of asserting in the face of a
human intruder. Perhaps it is the long residence
in a district of such utter freedom ; perhaps it is
the scant acquaintanceship they have with man.
Anyway, both the Red Grouse and the Ring
Ousel always appear to challenge our right upon
the moor, and by their noisy cries, half of alarm
and half of defiance, seek to drive us from their
lonely haunt. The Ring Ousel is readily iden-
tified. He is about the size of a Blackbird, and
somewhat similar in colour, only across the chest
is a broad white crescent which makes him very
conspicuous as he sits on the rocks or on the
stunted bushes, watching us intently. Then his
noisy cry of tac-tac-tac, tac-tac-tac, is most persis-
tent. He is a summer migrant to the moors,
appearing to journey in parties which after a few
days disperse over the surrounding country. As
a songster the Ring Ousel does not figure very
prominently ; but bird music is scarce on these
brown wastes, and his monotonous, short, and
oft-repeated song helps to enliven the moors. In
its nesting economy the Ring Ousel is very like

ON MOORS, COMMONS, AND HEATHS. 147

the Blackbird. It builds the same bulky kind of
nest, placing it in some bush on the wild banks of
the mountain stream, among the heather branches,
or even on the ground at the top of a bank.
Here the female lays her four or five eggs, which
cannot safely be distinguished from those of the
Blackbird. The only way to be sure of them is
to see the parents ; and there is little difficulty in
doing this, for of all birds they are perhaps the
most clamorous and intrusive when their nest is
approached. They seem to discard all personal
safety, and fly round and round and perch on
the rocks and bushes near, all the time uttering
harsh cries. Even for their unfinished nest they
show an affection perhaps only equalled by the
Chaffinch. The food of the Ring Ousel is chiefly
composed of worms, snails, and beetles ; but in
the late summer and early autumn the bird feasts
on the mountain berries, even at this season
visiting gardens near its haunts to pilfer peas,
cherries, and other fruits. By the middle of
September many Ring Ousels have already
begun to move south, and the migration lasts
about a month, being much more leisurely per-
formed than in spring.

There are two other Passerine birds that are
dwellers on the moors, and which we are almost
certain of meeting with any time during the
summer months. The first of these is the TWITE widely
(Fringilla flavirostris\ a bird very closely allied dl
to the Linnet. Although the Twite does not
leave our islands, its migrations are remarkably
regular. Its home and breeding-place is on the
moors ; but its winter refuge is the lower ground,
and during that season it may be met with in

L 2

i48 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

most agricultural districts. It is distinguished by
having a yellow bill, and no ruby-coloured patch
on the head and breast. Without noticing such
structural peculiarities the Twite is easily enough
recognised by its long-drawn note, twa-ite. Like
the Cuckoo, it is constantly calling its own name
and rendering mistakes on our side almost im-
possible. The Twite is usually first seen sitting
on the tall heather, and as we approach he flits
on and perches again to wait for us. On and on
he flits, or rises into the air and returns to his
old perching-place, where perhaps he will be
rejoined with his mate, she in the meantime
having slipped off her cosy nest amongst the
heath, and together the birds flit anxiously about
the moor, patiently awaiting our departure. But
before doing so we will take just one peep into
their little home. It is often made right down
near the roots of the heath, often on the very
ground itself, and is made of dry grass, fine
twigs of the heather, moss, and rootlets, and
warmly lined with wool and feathers. The eggs
are four or five in number, pale greenish blue,
spotted with dark brown and gray, most thickly
round the larger end. The food of the Twite up
here on the moors is composed of insects, es-
pecially little beetles ; but when we meet with
this bird again on the lowlands in winter we shall
find that small seeds are almost its sole support.
As soon as the young are safely reared the Twite
becomes gregarious, and for the remainder of the
year is met with in flocks of varying size, and
often in the company of other Finches, especially
Linnets and Redpoles.

ON MOORS, COMMONS, AND HEATHS. 149

Our second moorland Passe re is the MEADOW widely
PIPIT (Anthus pratensis), although " Moor" Pipit
is by far the better term. In its annual move-
ments the Meadow Pipit is very similar to the
Twite. It is only in summer that the moorlands
are frequented by this bird ; at the approach of
winter it seeks more sheltered districts, and at
that season is a well-known species upon the fields
and manure-heaps. On the moors the Meadow
Pipit is easily recognised by its olive-green upper
parts, nearly white underparts, streaked with
brown on the neck, breast, and flanks, and by its
plaintive cry ot peep-peep. It is most abundant in
the wettest parts of the moors, and in some
swampy localities may be flushed almost every
few yards. The Meadow Pipit is a most in-
dustrious singer, rising ever and anon into the air,
and uttering a short and feeble but sweet little
song as he descends. Soon after arriving on
these upland wastes the Meadow Pipit begins to
breed. Its simple little nest is built on the
ground, often on a bank, sometimes under a flat
stone, and occasionally in a tuft of rushes or
coarse grass absolutely surrounded by water. It
is made of the moss growing so plentifully around,
coarse dry grass, and lined with finer grass, a few
hairs and fibrous roots. The four or five eggs
are white in ground colour — though as a rule little
of this is ever visible — clouded and spotted all
over with brown, and sometimes streaked with
very dark brown on the larger end. Little varia-
tion is to be observed in the eggs of this bird.
After the young are reared the Meadow Pipit
becomes gregarious, especially so during the

150 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

autumn, and then they quit the moors for the
turnip-fields and wet pastures. As the winter
draws on, however, they become less social, and
during that season are often met with alone.
With spring a transient gregarious habit will be
observed just before the breeding season com-
mences. Meadow Pipits live largely on insects,
worms, and snails in summer, but in autumn and
winter small seeds and even grain are eaten in
addition to this usual fare.

Wherever the Meadow Pipit is common on
widely the moorlands, the CUCKOO (Cuculus canorus) is
generally the same. In the bright genial spring-
time the gladsome notes of the Cuckoo are heard
everywhere on the borders of the moors, and
even, but less frequently, far on their wide wastes.
Caterpillars are abundant among the heather
and coarse vegetation of the moors, and foster
parents for its offspring abound in the Meadow
Pipits. Probably ninety per cent, of the Cuckoos
hatched on the moorlands are incubated by
Meadow Pipits ; and it is a common sight to see
this little bird feeding a clamouring young Cuckoo
as it sits on a rock or wall, or even on a gate-
post. The Cuckoo usually arrives on the moors
about the third week in April, a little later than
his first appearance further south. He soon com-
mences to sing, and continues in splendid voice
until the middle of June ; then his song becomes
more laboured and more fitful, and by the early
days of July he has ceased to utter it at all. The
Cuckoo is easily observed on the moors ; there is
little cover here in which he can hide, and time
after time we see the long-tailed bird flying about
amongst the rocks and heath, and are startled by

ON MOORS, COMMONS, AND HEATHS. 151

his full, clear notes. Heard at close quarters,
there is something very startling about this note
— a deep and hollow sound which seems to vibrate
the air around us, and which may be heard a mile
or more across the waste. The Cuckoo flies well
and powerfully, but is a clumsy bird on the
ground, and uses its short legs little as a means of
locomotion. It is very fond of sitting on a bare
dead branch, and rocking itself to and fro, raising
and depressing its outspread tail and frequently
uttering a hoarse chatter. The eggs of the
Cuckoo are laid in May, and though subject
to considerable variation, the type usually found
on the moors is very similar to that of the Skylark
and about the same size. The number of eggs
laid by a female Cuckoo every season is yet an
unsolved problem, but four or five are very pro-
bably deposited, each one almost invariably in a
different nest.

One of the most interesting of the birds of
prey has its home upon the moors in summer.
This is the MERLIN (Falco <zsalon). Its breeding Moors of
range is almost the same as that of the Red Britain,
Grouse and the Twite, commencing on the moors Derbyshire,
of the Peak in Derbyshire, and thence extending mnoorsns
northwards with the heather and the hills. Early
in April the Merlin leaves the lowlands and
makes its appearance on the moors. There are
several very interesting facts in the economy of
this brilliant and daring little Falcon. One of
these is its persistent attachment to a certain
haunt, returning year by year (for be it known
the Merlin shifts its ground with the change of
season, just like the Twite) to one particular
place to breed, in spite of continued persecution.

152 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

This applies not only to an individual pair, but
to all the Merlins of our moors ; for if a pair be
exterminated one season, their place is almost
invariably taken by others the next, which build
on the same identical patch of heather that was
lately occupied by their unfortunate companions.
The Merlin makes its slight nest on the ground
amongst the heather and other vegetation of the
moor, the female laying four or five eggs very
like those of the Kestrel, only not quite so pink
a brown. The Merlin feeds upon the various
small birds of the moor ; and it will fly down
Plovers, Snipes, and the half-grown Grouse, as
well as capture the larger coleopterous insects.
From the Kestrel, the only other Hawk with
which it is likely to be confused, the Merlin is
readily distinguished by its smaller size and slate-
blue upper plumage. Both Kestrels and Sparrow-
Hawks occasionally visit the moors, the former
even breeding on the rocks upon them ; but
the ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD (Aguila lagopus]
regularly crosses them in spring and autumn on
passage to its arctic breeding-grounds. Its stay,
however, is so fleeting that the observer will be
more than fortunate to come across this species,,
readily distinguished from the Common Buzzard
by its feathered tarsi. The Short-eared Owl
may also be met with in most parts of the moors,
but we shall meet with this bird on the Broads,
and will then study its habits (see p. 188).

In many parts of the moors, in the swampy
hollows or on the very summits of the hills where
the ground is rough and broken, stretching away
for miles in billowy wastes of heath and cranberry,,
enlivened here and there with patches of green

ON MOORS, COMMONS, AND HEATHS. 153

rushes and cotton-grass, and pools of clear water
or dancing streams which -have eaten a course
deep through the black peaty soil, we may meet
with the GOLDEN PLOVER (Charadriiis pluvialis], widely

111* 11 111 1 distributed.

recognised by his yellow speckled upper plumage Rare south
and black belly, and by his flute-like whistle ofshi£erb'
klee-wee. Like most of the birds that are found
upon the moors the Golden Plover is only a
summer visitor to them, and quits them in autumn
for a more lowland haunt. Upon their first arrival
here they are observed in flocks, but a week or so
later they have separated into pairs, and have
become much more tame and trustful. Very pretty
they look as they run along the ridges or stand
poised upon the hillocks. If alarmed they rise
into the air with noisy cries and fly to and fro on
powerful wing ; yet they never indulge in those
erratic aerial movements so common with the
Lapwing. Golden Plovers breed in May, making
a slight nest under the sheltering shield of a grass
or rush tuft, and laying four beautiful eggs, buff in
ground colour, blotched and spotted, especially
on the larger end with rich dark brown, and
sparingly with gray. As soon as the young are
reared they and their parents gather into flocks,
and eventually all wing their way from the moors
to the coasts. Beetles and worms, together with
seeds, buds and shoots of plants form their food
on the moors ; but when on the coast their diet is
almost exclusively composed of animal substances.
It should be remarked that after the autumn moult
the black underparts become white.

Two or three other wading birds are also
inhabitants of the moors in summer. The first
we will glance at is the CURLEW

154 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

arguatus). Here, as everywhere, the Curlew is
the essence of wariness, and the moment we step
upon their lonely haunt the watchful birds rise
one by one, and soon the entire moor is in
commotion and the air resounds with their
characteristic notes — curlee, curl-ee, curr-lee, now
near and distinct, anon faint and low, as the long-
billed birds fly backwards and forwards above the
swampy ground. Their slight nests are here
amongst the rank vegetation of the wilderness.
By the middle or end of April these contain eggs.
These nests are usually under the shelter of a tuft
of herbage, and the number of eggs is four. They
are pear-shaped, olive-green in colour, spotted and
blotched with greenish brown and gray, and oc-
casionally streaked with darker brown — tints that
help to conceal them from view by harmonising
with the ground on which they rest. After the
young are safely reared the Curlews begin to flock
and soon seek the coasts. Worms, insects, and
various mountain fruits are the Curlew's food in
summer ; but in winter, when the bird lives upon
the mud- flats and low-lying shores, sand- worms,
crustaceans, and even grass are eaten. The long
bill, brown mottled upper parts, white rump, and
nearly white underparts serve to distinguish the
Curlew. The mottled and barred brown and
white wings and tail are very noteworthy during
flight.

widely Our second species is the COMMON SNIPE

(Scolopax gallinago]. Almost every one is familiar
with this long-billed bird, dressed in brown and
white garb, striped on the back with yellow ;
yet there are comparatively few who have made
its acquaintance on the moors and seen its nest.

ON MOORS, COMMONS, AND HEATHS. 155

The Snipe frequents the swampy parts of the
moor, and in April the male is famous for his
aerial flights. He may then be seen soaring high
up in the air and careering about in widening
circles as he goes ; then, when the zenith of his
flight is reached, he descends to the earth on
vibrating wings and expanded tail, making the
famous noise which is known to every countryman
as " bleating." How this noise is produced —
whether by the vocal organs, or by the air
passing through the tail feathers, or by the
vibrating wings — is still a matter of conjecture.
These extraordinary flights are confined to the
love season, and we may judge from them when
his nest is ready for inspection. This is made
among the heather, sometimes a considerable
distance from the swamps, but more frequently
it will be found among the rush tufts and the
cotton-grass. It is a simple hollow lined with
a few scraps of dead herbage. The eggs are
four in number, pear-shaped, and olive-green,
boldly and beautifully blotched with dark brown,
lighter brown, and gray, and sometimes streaked
with nearly black. Insects and worms found in
the swampy ground are the Snipe's favourite
food. This bird is remarkably skulking in its
habits, rarely seen on the wing except in the
love season, or when flushed, and is most active
at nightfall. So long as the swamps are not
frost-bound the Snipes linger on the moors. I
have known them do so right through the winter ;
but in severe weather they are compelled to
wander to more lowland haunts where food can
be obtained. Their journeys are always made
at night.

summer.

156 ,, THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

widely Our last species is the DUNLIN (Tringa

i^giSd alpina), a bird that also visits the northern moors
iikeym to breed, leaving the coast where it has lived
during5 during the winter in flocks, and separating over
these higher grounds in pairs. Its breeding
season is in May, the eggs being laid towards
the end of that month. It will be remarked that
the Dunlin is much handsomer in spring than
in winter plumage, much of its upper parts being
chestnut and black, and the white lower parts
have become nearly uniform black. During the
pairing season the male soars up into the air and
utters a love trill, but the usual call-note on the
moors is a long-drawn teezh. The food of the
Dunlin up here in summer is composed of insects
and their larvae, and various ground fruits. The
nest is carefully concealed on the ground, often
near a clear moorland pool, or in a swampy
hollow in the centre of a grass tuft. It is little
more than a hollow, lined with a few bits of dry
herbage. The eggs are four in number, varying
from buffish to greenish brown in ground colour,
spotted and blotched with rich reddish brown and
gray, sometimes streaked with dark brown. Even
during the breeding season the Dunlin is re-
markably social, and little parties congregate at
the feeding-grounds. As soon as the young
are reared, about the end of July, the movement
to the coast begins, and for the remainder of the
year the Dunlin is a littoral species. It should
be remarked, however, that by far the greatest
number of Dunlins are seen on our coasts in
autumn, passing south, although the bird is fairly
common all the winter through. The Redshank

ON MOORS, COMMONS, AND HEATHS. 157

may also be found commonly distributed in many
of the more northern moorland districts during
summer, breeding in all suitable localities ; but
we shall meet with this species in our ramble
over the Broads, and therefore reserve our
observations on its nesting economy until then
(see p. 192).

Whilst on these Highland moors a passing
notice of the Skua Gulls is necessary. Two
species breed upon them. The most commonly
distributed of these is RICHARDSON'S SKUA Northern

/ 0 . • T j -\ T Scotland and

(^tercoranus nc/iarasom). It is a summer adjacent

V . . . , , ; , . , , . isles.

visitor to our islands, reaching its breeding- Hebrides,
grounds at the end of April or beginning of May ;
and its nests are scattered up and down the
moors, sometimes near the sea, at others a con-
siderable distance from the coast. These nests
are mere hollows lined with a few scraps of
withered herbage, and made with little or no
attempt at concealment. The two eggs are
olive or reddish brown, spotted, blotched, and
streaked with dark brown and gray. Richardson's
Skua is distinguished by its smaller size, narrow
pointed central tail feathers, and white shafts to
the primaries. A light and dark race of this
bird is found, and both of these forms interbreed
even in the British Islands, the offspring instead
of being intermediate in colour between the two
extremes, taking the character of one or the other
parent. The dark form is almost uniform sooty
brown in colour ; the light form has the upper
parts slate-gray, the underparts white, including
the sides of the neck nearly to the nape, which
are suffused with yellow. The other species,

158 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

unstand the GREAT SKUA (S. cdtarrhactes), is one of the
shetfaid most local and rare of British birds. It arrives
at its breeding-grounds in April and the eggs
are laid in May. The nest is similar to that of
the preceding, placed on the moors, and the
two eggs are pale or dark buffish brown,
spotted with dark brown and grayish brown. The
large size, uniform dark brown colour, and slightly
rounded tail are distinguishing features of this
bird. The Skuas are the terror of the Gulls
and Terns, robbing them of the fish they catch,,
and playing the part of pirates to perfection.
On shore they are guilty of devouring the eggs
and young of their less powerful neighbours. The
Skuas are birds of exceptionally powerful flight,
as may be witnessed in the ease with which they
chase the Terns and smaller Gulls. They wander
far and wide across the sea during the non-breeding
season. When their nests are threatened by
human intruders the Skuas become very noisy
and pugnacious, flying round and round over-
head, so that it is an easy matter to identify
them.

vyideiy Great numbers of WILD DUCKS (Anas boschas)

frequent the moorland pools during summer for
the purpose of rearing their broods. This bird
is too well known to need description. The
Wild Duck is an early breeder, its eggs often
being laid by the middle of April, a month later
in the extreme north. The nest is by no means
always made near water, and is often placed among
the heath, especially on an island. Several nests
may often be found quite close together. They
are made of any dry herbage at hand, and as the

ON MOORS, COMMONS, AND HEATHS. 159

eggs are laid a plentiful lining of down from
the female's body is added. The eggs are from
ten to sixteen in number and pale greenish yellow
without markings. When the mother bird leaves
her nest she is careful to cover her eggs to
conceal them from the prying eyes of enemies.
The Wild Duck may be met with in many other
places, especially on the Broads ; and there are
few lakes that are not frequented by it at some
period of the year, as I have been careful to
remark in our rambles. As we are now with
the Wild Duck, it is advisable to note its habits
once for all. No Duck is more shy, none more
wary. During autumn and winter this bird is
gregarious and sociable, and at all seasons it
may repeatedly be seen in parties. These large
gatherings of Ducks are wariness personified,
and the least alarm sends them off into the centre
of the lake or flying away with arrow-like speed.
In autumn our resident Wild Ducks are largely
increased in numbers by birds from more northern
lands. This bird is as active at night as during
the day, sometimes more so. It is a voracious
feeder, and visits certain localities, often at night,
to satisfy its hunger, then frequenting streams,
pastures, and stubbles. It never dives to obtain
food, but obtains it in the shallows and round
the banks. It will eat almost anything — grain,
buds and shoots of herbage, slugs, worms, and
the vast variety of insects by the waterside,
sifted out of the mud or lurking amongst the
vegetation, small fish and frogs, and even fruit.
The note of this bird — the familiar quack — is too
well known to need further description ; but

160 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

during the love season the drake often utters
a harsh grunting noise, and a shriller note.

Banished from the fens and marshes of the
low-lying English counties by the reclamation of
North of its favourite haunts, the GRAY-LAG GOOSE (Anser
HebrTdeeSss.' ciuerczis) now almost only breeds upon these
craltied: lonely northern moors. Its loud gag-gag and
Meghan, trumpet - like clamour is a well - known sound
enough in early summer, amidst these vast scenes
of desolation, this wilderness of heather, rock,
and water. All through the breeding season this
Goose is remarkably social, yet combats are of
frequent occurrence between rival ganders. The
big nest is made in April or May, a site being
chosen among the heath or the coarse vegetation
in the more * swampy parts of its haunts, in the
least frequented part of the moors. It is made of
heather branches, rushes, fern, and turf, and lined
with down and feathers from the parent's body.
The six eggs are white and spotless, resembling
in every respect those of the tame Goose, this
bird's domesticated descendant. All through the
nesting period the gander keeps watch and ward
over his sitting mate. The principal food of
this bird is grass, but in autumn it visits the
stubbles for grain. The Gray-lag Goose is a
resident in this country, but changes its ground
according to season, and in autumn its numbers
are largely increased by northern migrants. This
bird is distinguished from its congeners by its
flesh-coloured legs, feet, and beak, and the few
black markings on the underparts.

The Commons and the Heaths of our southern
counties are in many respects moors in miniature;
and, like these upland wastes, they are the haunt

ON MOORS, COMMONS, AND HEATHS. 161

of several interesting species peculiar to them, or
nearly so. Beautiful little bits of wild nature do
these places present us with. Their prickly
thickets of gorse and bramble, their rolling ex-
panse of bracken or turf, studded with birch-
trees, guelder rose and mountain ash, crabs and
blackthorns, are all the chosen haunts of bird life.
True, they are not so wild as the northern moors,
not so bleak or so breezy ; but they are full of
charm, perhaps rendered all the sweeter and
attractive by the woodland elements which relieve
their broad expanse and endow them with a
luxuriant beauty the uplands never aspire to.

Each part of the heaths and commons has its
own particular feathered denizens. In the gorse
coverts, for instance, w^e are pretty sure to meet
with the STONECHAT (Pratincola rubicolti), a widely
little bird whose black head and chestnut breast dL
render him easy to identify as he clings to the
prickly branches and repeats his monotonous notes
of wee-chic > wee-chic, chic-chic-chic, or chants his
simple rambling song. Few nests are more diffi-
cult to find than the Stonechat's, and no birds
will deceive you more if you will let them in
decoying you from their treasure. It is placed
well down at the roots of some gorse - bush,
amongst the rank grass and weeds, and is made
of dry grass and moss, and lined with hair and
feathers. The eggs are four or five in number,
pale blue in colour, with a few brown spots mostly
at the larger end. The Stonechat, unlike its first
cousin, the Whinchat, is a resident in this country,
and clings to the coverts all through the year.
It feeds on insects and their larvae, especially
beetles, and on small worms and even seeds.

M

1 62 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

Still keeping to the furze we shall be sure sooner
widely or later to come across the LINNET (Fringilla

distributed. 7 . x , * . i •, x

cannabina), during the spring and early summer.
The cock - birds are now resplendent in their
wedding finery, and their carmine breasts are very
conspicuous as they sit upon the yellow bloom-
decked sprays. The Linnet is a sweet and
persistent singer, and all through the spring he
makes his haunt melodious with his tuneful song
and his musical twitterings. The nest is built
higher up in the branches of the furze, often
very easily discovered, and is made of dry
grass, dead branches of the furze, and often
pieces of wool, lined with hair, feathers, wool, and
vegetable down — a perfect little picture of rustic
neatness. Six eggs are laid in this tiny cradle,
bluish green in ground colour, speckled with dark
brownish red and gray. The female sits the
most, brooding very closely over her charge. As
soon as the young are reared the old gregarious
habits are resumed, and the furze coverts are
deserted for the fields where the winter is passed.
Linnets live principally on insects in spring and
early summer, but for the remainder of the year
seeds are almost their chief support. The flocks
of Linnets do not disband until the last days of
March, and at that time the males may often be
heard warbling in concert as they sit on the tree-
tops.

south coast The rare and local DARTFORD WARBLER
surrey?' (Sylvia firovincialis) is another bird of the gorse

Oxon, 1-1^1 i r i f ' -l • •

Worcester, thickets, but only found regularly in certain
Dercbey!er favoured districts. Here the greed of collectors

South Yorks. , . , , ° , . -,

and severe winters have rendered it much rarer
than was formerly the case. Its note is sufficient

ON MOORS, COMMONS, AND HEATHS. 163

to identify the species — a loud musical pitchoo —
even if the chestnut breast and dark brown upper
plumage and long tail have not already served to
do so. It is a skulking bird, yet fond of sunning
itself and warbling its little song on the topmost
sprays, and taking short flights into the air, then
dropping into the cover. Its food is largely com-
posed of insects and larvae, many of the former
being caught as they flit by the bird's perching-
place. This bird begins to breed about the
middle of April, making a flimsy net-like nest
near the foot of the bushes in their densest part,
of dead grass-stalks, withered furze, and moss,
and lined with h'ner grasses and mayhap a few
hairs. Both the nest and the five eggs are very
similar to those of the Whitethroat, the latter
especially, so much so that the most careful
identification is required.

Another very interesting bird, the NIGHTJAR widely

/ s~> , • j , \ i • i 1 distributed.

(Capmmulgus europczus), has its home upon the
commons and the heaths. It is a summer migrant
to our islands, arriving about the middle of May,
and leaving towards the end of September. It
may be readily identified by its nocturnal habits,
coming forth at sunset, by its peculiar soft bat-
like flight — as it turns and twists the light under
surface of the wings is very distinct — and by its
extraordinary churring and chattering notes. It
feeds on beetles and moths, hunting high and
low for its prey, beating across the open heath
and under the trees by the woodside, often toying
with its mate in mid-air. It sleeps during the
daytime, very often on a stone-heap or in a shady
nook amongst the bracken, and when disturbed
flies off in a very dazed sort of way as if at a loss

M 2

1 64 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

where to hide itself. The singular note of the
Nightjar once heard can never be forgotten or
mistaken for any other species. As it flies to and
fro an oft-repeated note like co-ic, co-ic is uttered,
but when the bird is at rest, either on a branch, a
fence, or even on the ground, the famous churring
cry is given forth. It may best be expressed as
r-r-r-r-r sounded with great speed and emphasis,
and often continues for several minutes together.
This bird breeds late, its eggs seldom being found
before the beginning of June. It makes little or
no nest, laying its two oval eggs upon the ground,
usually at the foot of a tree or under the shelter
of a bush or clump of fern. They are white,
beautifully mottled, veined, and clouded with dark
and light brown and gray. Only one brood is
reared in the season, and very soon after the
young are strong upon the wing preparations for
the great southern flight are made. It should be
remarked that the Nightjar is silent long before
it leaves this country in autumn.

On the commons and the heaths of the more

lowland counties we shall meet with another very

woids, interesting bird, and that is the STONE CURLEW

plains from (CEdicnemus crepitans}. He loves the dry and

wilts! ° sandy heaths where the ground is rough and

broken, not all covered with vegetation but varied

by patches of bare pebbly soil. He is wary and

watchful enough, and generally takes wing as

soon as his haunts are invaded. The Stone

Curlew is most active at night, and his loud cry

may be heard at intervals all through the short

hours of darkness during the summer months.

Most of the birds are summer visitors only, but a

few are said to spend the winter in the extreme

ON MOORS, COMMONS, AND HEATHS. 165

south-west of England. Those that leave us do
so in October, and return to their old haunts in
April. This bird begins to lay in May, depositing
its two eggs in a little hollow where the ground is
bare of vegetation and strewn with pebbles. They
are buff in ground colour, spotted and streaked
with light and dark brown and gray, and so
closely resemble the colour of the ground that
their discovery is very difficult. The Stone Cur-
lew feeds on worms, snails, beetles, frogs, and
even mice. This bird is a very conspicuous one
on the heath, standing high ; and when it takes
flight the white bands across the wings and the
white on the outermost tail feathers are very
striking. The general colour of its upper plumage
is grayish brown, streaked with dark brown, each
feather margined with buff; the underparts are
white, streaked with brown on the breast and
flanks ; the two black moustachial lines, the black
and yellow bill, and the very large prominent eye,
are also noteworthy features of this species. This
plumage, especially in summer, is very protective,
a fact of which the bird seems fully aware, as
it often squats flat on the ground when menaced
by danger.

Where the heaths and commons are more
than usually wooded, we may sometimes flush the
BLACK GROUSE (Tetrao tetrix), a bird easily recog- England
nised by his glossy blue-black plumage, scarlet Scotland,
wattle, white wing-bar, and lyre-shaped tail. The Lc
female, however, is mottled brown and buff, more
like the female Red Grouse in appearance, but
larger. The Black Grouse is also a dweller in
the woods, but as he shows a decided preference
for open situations — even bare hillsides — I have

1 66 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

deemed it best to deal with him in the present
ramble. The Black Grouse is fond of a swampy
haunt; water seems essential to his residence.
He is a polygamous species, and this fact renders
him a more than usually interesting bird during
the season of courtship. Certain recognised meet-
ing-places are selected during the spring days,
where the males retire to fight their battles and
win their brides by performing a variety of antics
which are sure to interest and amuse the observer
fortunate enough to watch them. As is usual
with birds of this class, the female alone performs
the duties of bringing up the brood. She begins
to nest early in May. Her rude cradle is little
more than a hollow among the fern and brush-
wood, into which is scraped a few bits of dry
vegetation for a lining. In this she lays from six
to ten eggs, buff in ground colour, spotted and
speckled with reddish brown and pale brown.
She sits closely, depending for safety upon her
own brown dress, which is in strict harmony with
surrounding tints. The Black Grouse is a
skulking bird, only rising when compelled, flying
heavily, and rarely for any long distance. It is
also very fond of perching in trees, the cock-bird
especially, and generally roosts at night in the
branches of an evergreen. Seeds, tender buds
and shoots, fruits, berries, insects, and larvae form
the food of this species.

wHe'y With a brief notice of the LAPWING ( Vanellus

cristatus] we will bring this ramble to a close.
This remarkably handsome bird is one of the
commonest of its order, and may not only be met
with on the heaths, the commons, and the moors,
but also on the open pastures. It may readily be

ON MOORS, COMMONS, AND HEATHS. 167

identified by its curious erratic flight and aerial
gambols, and its mewing notes of weet-a-weet,
pee-weet-weet, as it circles over your head in alarm
for its eggs or young. It has the general colour
of the upper parts green glossed with purple ; the
crown, throat, and breast are black, a crest of
long, narrow feathers ornamenting the former ;
the remainder of the underparts are white, except
the tail coverts, which are chestnut- buff; the tail
is white, broadly tipped with black on all but the
two outermost feathers, which are uniform white.
It should be remarked that in winter plumage the
throat is rufous white. The Lapwing changes its
ground with the season, and towards winter very
often forsakes entirely its summer haunts, retiring
to the flat coasts and marine meadows. It is an
early breeder, and its eggs may be found in
southern localities during the first week of April.
Vast numbers of these are gathered for the table,
and justly esteemed as a great delicacy. The
Lapwing makes little or no nest, laying her four
eggs in a hollow in the ground, often in the foot-
prints of a horse or cow, not unfrequently in the
centre of a tuft of rushes, or even on the top of a
molehill. They are pale olive-green or brown in
ground colour, boldly spotted, blotched, and
streaked with blackish brown and gray, and. are
large for the size of the bird. The Lapwing
becomes exceedingly clamorous if its breeding-
place is disturbed, and many and varied are the
wiles it displays to entice you from its eggs or
helpless young. These birds are more or less
gregarious throughout the year, and numbers of
nests may be found on the same stretch of ground.
The food of this species is composed of worms,

1 68

THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

snails, insects, and grubs, and the various creatures
of the shore. To a certain extent they are
nocturnal in their habits, and their loud, plaintive
cries may be heard almost all night long in spring
and summer.

SPECIES. RESIDENT OR MIGRANT

CALL OR ALARM
NOTE.

PREVAILING COLOURS.

Red Grouse .

Resident

Harsh go bac} bac,

Chestnut-brown, spotted

bac, bac

and vermiculated with

black, scarlet wattle

over eye

Ring Ousel

April to September

Noisy tac-tac-tac

Brownish black, broad

and October

white band on breast

Twite . . .

Resident

Long-drawn twa-

Reddish brown above,

ite

rump rosy, paler

brown on breast and

flanks ; feathers with

dark centres

Meadow Pipit .

Resident

Plaintive peep

Above olive - brown,

most of feathers with

darker centres, under-

parts white streaked

with brown

Cuckoo . . .

April to August

Hoarse chatter

Slate- gray above, tail

and bubbling cry

nearly black, grayish

(female)

white below, barred

with dark brown

Merlin . . .

Resident

Tremulous scream

Slaty blue above, the

feathers with dark

shafts, rufous striped

with brown below

Golden Plover.

Resident

Flute - like kke-

Black spotted with

wee

yellow above ; belly

black in summer,

white in winter

Curlew . . .

Resident

Shrill curlee

Mottled brown above,

but rump white, below

white streaked with

brown

Common Snipe

Resident

Long - d r awn

Brown, black, and

skyach ; shrill

yellow above ; white

tee - ik - tee - tik.

below, barred on

Bleating or

breast and neck with

Dunlin . . .

Resident

drumming
Long-drawn teezh

brown
Black, chestnut, and

gray above ; black

and white below ; con-

spicuous white wing-

bar

ON MOORS, COMMONS, AND HEATHS. 169

SPECIES.

RESIDENT OR MIGRANT.

CALL OR ALARM

NOTE.

PREVAILING COLOURS.

Richardson's

April to September

Loud keeow

Either uniform sooty

Skua . . .

and October

brown, or slate-gray

above, white below

Great Skua .

April to September
and October

Loud ak- ak\
scream like word

skua

Dark brown above,
slightly paler brown
below

Wild Duck .

Resident

Loud quack

Head and neck greenish

black, alar spectrum

purple ; brown, black,

gray, and white above ;

chestnut and white

below

Gray-lag Goose

Resident

Loud gag-gag

Brown and gray above,

grayish below

Stonechat . .

Resident

Oft-repeated wee-

Head and upper parts

chic

black and rufous, ex-

cept rump, which is

white ; white patch on

wing, sides of neck

and breast white, re-

mainder of underparts

rufous

Linnet . . .

Resident

Shrill twitter

Rich brown above, buff

below, wings and tail

margined with white,

front of head and most

of breast carmine

Dartford

Resident

Clear and musical

Blackish brown above,

Warbler . .

pitchoo

throat and breast

chestnut, tail long and

graduated, tipped with

white

Nightjar . .

May to September

Oft-repeated co-ic

Gray, black, and buff,

and r sounded

pencilled, mottled,

quickly

and vermiculated

Stone Curlew .

April to September

Loud plaintive

Brown and buff above,

and October

cry

white below, streaked

with brown on breast

and flanks ; white

wing-bars, and mark-

ings very conspicuous

Black Grouse .

Resident

Harsh cry

Glossy blue - black >

patch on wings and

under tail coverts-

white, wattle over eye

scarlet

Lapwing . .

Resident

Nasal pee-weef

Greenand purpleabove;

black, white, and

chestnut below

RAMBLE VIII.

UP THE MOUNTAINS.

MANY pleasant hours may be spent with the birds
among the mountains ; for they are the haunt of
some of our rarest species. They are also the
last refuge of other birds which civilisation has
driven from more lowland scenes ; and here
among the hills, inaccessible to all human enemies
except the most persevering, these last remnants
of our ancient pre-Roman avifauna find haunts
congenial to their wants, and that seclusion which
their retiring habits demand. It is only in the
spring and summer, however, that the mountain-
tops will repay one for the exertion of climbing to
them, that is from an ornithological point of view.
Winter drives most of their feathered inhabitants
lower down the hillsides, and the mountain-crests
are then bare and desolate beyond description.

Our path right up the valley has been en-
livened by birds that prefer the wooded and
cultivated districts. With the wilder scenery
other birds replace them, and now up here among
the mountain-tops a small and select avifauna is
met with unknown on lower land. The most
characteristic bird of our British hills is the

UP THE MOUNTAINS. 17 1

PTARMIGAN ( Tetrao mutus\ and one of the most scotch

, , - ,_; _^ . /'-"*• IT • mountain

local too. The Ptarmigan (and its several climatic south to

\ • 1 i«i • i i • A* Arran.

races) is a northern bird, strictly speaking an Arctic
one, only found on the tundras above forest growth
or at high elevations in more southern lands.
On the highest hills of Scotland this bird finds
a climate equal to that of sea-level above forest
growth in Arctic Europe ; and on these bleak,
wind-swept summits it lives all the year round,
rarely, if ever, descending below the snow in
winter, unless temporarily driven down from the
highest tops by an unusually severe storm. But
its constant residence on the hilltops has been
the cause of much modification in its habits and
in its plumage. It is a curious fact, and one
that goes far to prove the utility of colour in
Nature, that white birds or animals are excessively
rare. Take birds alone. The number of pure
white birds, or birds in which white is the pre-
dominating colour of the plumage, is very, very
few ; in comparison with the twelve thousand or
so known species absolutely a unit of no great
importance. But the exceptions prove the rule,
and demonstrate how closely the colour of living
creatures is in harmony with the conditions of
their life. These Ptarmigan that have just risen
from the stones at our feet on the mountain-top
have constantly to be changing the colour of their
plumage with the changing season. Now, in the
spring, they are clothed in a dress of dark brown
mottled with yellowish brown — tints in beautiful
harmony with the lichens and mosses. In autumn
they will change this dress for one of pale gray,
vermiculated with black — or rather they are
slowly changing colour all the summer through

172 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

with the changing aspect of their haunts, the
latter tints being emphasized at a time when the
mosses and lichens are burnt up and beginning
to fade. Then comes the period of the winter
snows — when the mountain-tops are decked in a
white pall which lingers over them until the
following spring. Our Ptarmigan must change
their dress to elude their enemies, and the browns
and grays are doffed, and a plumage of dazzling
whiteness is assumed in their stead. White
ground and white birds harmonise together, and
the Ptarmigan lives safe in his disguise until the
melting of the snow, when his browns and yellows
are renewed with the changing year. That this
masquerade is effectual every one can testify who
has met the Ptarmigan at home. I have absolutely
walked through a flock of these birds and nearly
trod upon them before one took wing ; and in
spite of my closest scrutiny, the squatting birds
have risen one by one unseen from the ground
around me, as I stood completely bewildered and
nonplussed, yet filled with indescribable admiration
for the feathered tricksters1. Keen of eye must
the Falcon or the Eagle be that can detect the
birds from the stones amongst which they nestle
so securely. Like all ground birds, the Ptarmigan
never cares to use its wings until absolutely com-
pelled. Sometimes it will fly across the valleys
from one hill to another; and it is capable of
going with great speed, its wings beating rapidly,
or held out arched and stiff when it sails over the
brows with no visible effort. Buds and tender
shoots of the mountain herbage are its favourite
food ; and in autumn it feasts upon the various
ground fruits that grow in its wild haunts.

UP THE MOUNTAINS. 173

Ptarmigan pair like Red Grouse, and the female
makes her scanty nest beneath the shelter of a
rock or bush. The eggs are laid in May, and are
from eight to twelve in number, buffish white,
spotted with dark brown. They, too, are highly
protective in colour. As soon as the young are
reared the birds begin to pack, much earlier than
the Red Grouse, and for the remainder of the
year are more or less gregarious. It is also
worthy of remark that the note of the Ptarmigan
is much less loud and startling than the cry of the
Red Grouse, and the bird is a much more silent
one. Of all our Game Birds the Ptarmigan is
the wildest, and the least dependent upon the
protection of man.

Another interesting bird we may be fortunate
enough to come across on a few favoured moun-
tain-tops is the DOTTEREL (Ckaradrius morinellus). Grampians,
Of all the birds that we shall meet with here the H^nSs,
Dotterel is the tamest. It seems literally to have PwdUyin
no fear of man, and I have seen it when on District of
migration and in parties so utterly regardless
of its safety as to run to and fro over the bare
ground on the hilltops, almost within reach of
my hand. It is a source of satisfaction to know
that man has little opportunity of taking advan-
tage of this confidence, for the Dotterel nestles
far from human haunts ; and the migrating in-
dividuals that pass over the British Islands to and
from the Arctic regions do not stay long enough
to pay the penalty of their trustfulness. As may
be gathered from the foregoing remarks, the
Dotterel is a migrant. It comes to a few favoured
spots in our islands to breed, but elsewhere it
is only seen on passage. Dotterels appear to

174 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

cross country, and to follow mountain chains
rather than coast lines, in this country at any rate ;
and I have met with them migrating over the
Sussex Downs and the Peak of Derbyshire.
They appear always to journey in companies, and
to travel very quickly, especially in spring, to and
from their winter quarters in the Great Desert.
The Dotterel breeds in June, and makes its slight
nest among the mountain herbage. Here it lays
three very handsome eggs, grayish or olive-buff,
blotched and spotted with dark brown and gray.
It will thus be noted that the number of eggs
is abnormal for this group of birds (four being the
usual clutch), and the reason for this departure
from the rule is probably some very interesting
feature in the bird's economy yet undiscovered.
Another remarkable circumstance is the fact that
the cock-bird, being smaller and of duller plumage
than the hen, hatches the eggs and rears the
young ! Dotterels are not very noisy birds, but
in the breeding season the male soars and trills,
and the usual call-note between the sexes is a
low, soft, and prolonged dute, sometimes modu-
lated into ditrr-dute or durr. Like the Ringed
Plover, the Dotterel is the essence of wanness at
the nest, and will tire out all but the most per-
sistent patience before it will venture near its
treasure when conscious that it is being watched.
Insects, worms, and grubs, and the tender shoots
of mountain herbage form the food of this bird.
The Dotterel has the upper parts — except the
head which is black — grayish brown ; the chin,
upper throat, and long eyestripes are white ; the
breast is chestnut, the belly black.

Although scarcely a bird of the mountain-tops,

and
Heb

South to

Perth.

UP THE MOUNTAINS. 175

one cannot well investigate the ornithology of
such a region without noticing the GREENSHANK Highlands
(Tetanus glottis}. It is one of our rarest waders Hebrides.

\ . i ' 1 i r • c_..»u *«

during the summer months, only frequenting
few favoured spots in the Highlands and the
Hebrides. I know of a breeding-place of the
Greenshank among the Cullin Hills in Skye, not
far from rugged Sligiahan — one of the wildest
places in all wild Scotland — and above which the
Ptarmigan has its haunt. Here it lives on the
marshy moors below the highest summits, fre-
quenting the shores of the mountain lakes, and
rearing its young among the treacherous swamps.
The Greenshank soon informs you of its presence
when once its haunt is entered. At the least
alarm the old birds rise, and uttering their loud
double call-note of tee-yu, commence to fly to and
fro in dire alarm. As you get still closer to the
nest or helpless young, more demonstrative do
the parents become, and the female especially
often pitches headlong to the ground, and runs
about with half-open wings, trying all she can to
concentrate attention on herself. We just alluded
to the young as "helpless." Well, so they are
in many respects, yet not in all. They are born
with that in their nature which causes them
instinctively to scatter and hide themselves
among the herbage and the stones at the first
warning note from their parents ; and when once
that signal is given, and the tiny, long-legged,
striped balls of down have squatted to the earth,
it requires no ordinary scrutiny to discover them.
Here they lie still and inanimate as the stones,
and their mottled dress harmonises so closely
with the objects around them that we may search

176 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

and search each square inch of the moor without
success. The Greenshank makes its scanty nest
about the middle of May on a dry hummock in
the swamps, or beneath the shelter of a heath-
tuft by the loch-side, and in this the hen-bird
lays her four supremely handsome pear-shaped
eggs. They are buff in ground colour, spotted
and blotched with dark brown and gray. The
food of this bird is insects and worms, and even
the tiny fish that swim in shoals in the shallows
are often captured as the Greenshank runs or
wades along the waterside. Like the Common
Sandpiper, this bird is only a summer migrant to
the British Islands ; but during the seasons of its
spring and autumn flights — April and May, and
September into October — the latter especially,
it is much more widely distributed along our
coasts, and the number of indigenous birds is
increased by individuals passing to and from
breeding- grounds much further north in Arctic
Europe. The Greenshank is readily identified
by its note, by its olive-green legs, and slightly
recurved bill.

One of the most interesting birds of the
Northern mountains is the little SNOW BUNTING (Emberiza
Shetland's. mvoKs). It is only within more recent years that
the fact of its summer residence with us has been
satisfactorily established by the discovery of its nest
on the mountains of Scotland. This charming
bird is well enough known in the winter months ;
for at that season flights of Snow Buntings seek
refuge on our shores from the rigours of the Arctic
regions. And yet the Snow Bunting has no
regular winter home. It is one of those birds that
go no further from their Arctic breeding-grounds

UP THE MOUNTAINS. 177

than they are absolutely compelled ; and in many
places, especially in Russia and Siberia, they stay
the winter through, picking up a precarious sus-
tenance on the post-roads and near the farm-
houses. In spite of this fact the Snow Bunting
may be classed as a regular winter visitor to the
British Islands, although its numbers vary con-
siderably year by year. Snow Buntings are most
aptly named. The mention of their name recalls
to me some of the wildest and most wintry days
I have ever spent among the birds — of days on
the dreary sand-banks of the Wash, when the hail
and sleet-laden wind has swept like keen knives
across the wilderness, and drove the Snow Birds
before it like flecks of ocean foam — of days in
more sheltered districts when the country-side has
been inches deep in snow, and the flocks of
" Snowflakes" have picked a bare living from the
dung-heaps in company with Starlings and even
more homely birds. And whilst we are with the
Snow Buntings on the lowlands it is well to call
attention to this bird's perching on trees. Our
scientific wiseacres have stated that this bird never
settles on the branches ; but no more absurd error
was ever made. On the mountains here, where
no trees exist, the bird of course is never seen
upon them ; but in lower districts it habitually
perches, as I for one have satisfactorily proved
by absolutely shooting it from them (winter of
1879-80 in Endcliffe Woods, Sheffield). But the
Snow Bunting is as interesting in summer far up
the hillsides in its mountain home ; as I can testify
from seeing it fluttering among the rocks on the
summits of the Grampians, although fortune has
never yet been kind enough to reward me with a

N

178 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

sight of its nest. This is a most beautiful little
structure, constructed in a crevice of the rocks or
under the stones. It is composed of twigs and
roots, moss and grass, and lined with hair and
feathers. The eggs, six in number, do not ex-
hibit the usual Bunting streaks and scratches,
but are bluish or yellowish white, spotted and
blotched with rich dark brown, paler brown, and
gray. In the breeding season the male Snow
Bunting utters a pleasing little song, either when
sitting on the rocks or hovering in the air. The
call-note is very similar to the peezh of the Green-
finch. This bird in summer at its breeding
grounds is readily identified by its strongly con-
trasted black and white plumage. It might also
be remarked that the Snow Bunting is the only
small Passerine bird that has its summer haunts
in our islands so far above the level of the sea.

Whilst studying bird life high up on the breezy
summits, our reverie is sometimes disturbed by
the croaking of the Raven prowling along the
hillsides in quest of plunder ; but this bird has its
usual haunts lower down the hills, and we shall
meet with it in other rambles under more favour-
able circumstances for studying its ways (see
p. 210).

What imbues the mountains with their greatest
charm, from an ornithological point of view, is
that they are the dwelling-place — the last refuge
and stronghold of the noblest of our Birds of Prey.
Driven from the lowlands by spreading civilisation,
and the transformation of the forests into farms,
these last large remnants of our ancient avifauna
have retired to the hilltops and the mountain

UP THE MOUNTAINS. 179

districts where the wilderness is still unchanged
and man's persecution is not so persistent. Well
may the naturalist mourn the changed conditions
of his country that have banished such splendid
birds to haunts inaccessible to all but the most
persevering observer ; well may he recall with
regret the days not so very long ago, when these
interesting species dwelt in closer proximity to
man. Now he must seek them among the
mountains, the thinly peopled northern heights,
for they alone present conditions under which
these big birds can dwell in our islands at all.
Here the GOLDEN EAGLE (Aquila chryscetus) still w ^
lingers amongst us ; here the WHITE-TAILED Scotland

T- S / TT 7- , 77- -77 \ • • r ii and Ireland.

rLAGLE \Haliaetus aloicula), m spite of all attempts
to exterminate him, stills dwells and flourishes in
the present year of grace (1891). It is well,
perhaps, to specify the exact date, for who knows
but in the near future it may be recalled with
melancholy interest, when these handsome birds
shall have passed from our resident fauna for
ever ! Of all wild birds these Eagles are the
wildest — fitting ornaments to scenes of savage
beauty, where the rocks and cloud-capped peaks,
the clear sparkling lochs and streams, the heather,
and the mosses and lichens assist in making
.a picture of sublime harmonious grandeur, com-
plete in every detail of colour and of form. I
know of nothing more grand than the sight of
a Golden Eagle sweeping across the gloom-
decked valleys on wide-spread wings, just before
the mountain storm descends in sudden fury.
All is abnormally still and uncanny ; the distant
mountains to windward are already draped in

N 2

i8o THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

black mist, the last golden sunlight is pouring
through a rift in the rapidly closing clouds, and
all nature seems preparing, in silence, for the
coming strife among the elements. Then, indeed,
does the Eagle assume an unusual grandeur as he
wings his flight across the dark valley on recurved
and slowly beating pinions, perhaps to the accom-
paniment of distant peals of thunder, betaking
himself to a mountain refuge where in safety he
can defy the tempest and wait the passing of the
storm. Or see him yet again on the bright, hot
summer days, sailing with no apparent effort high
above the highest mountain-tops, looking black
against the blue, cloud- flecked sky, and imagine
if you can a better or a more harmonious ornament
to this upland wilderness. All praise be then
accorded to those landed proprietors of the north
that endeavour to preserve him on their property ;
and there are men well worthy of the approbation
who guard their Eagles as they do their game !

Upon the wing these two Eagles appear very
much alike : but the Golden Eagle is much the
darkest looking of the two, and his feathered legs
are at all ages a never-failing distinction from the
White-tailed Eagle, in which the lower half of the
leg is bare. This latter bird, when adult, has a.
white tail ; it is also much more of a maritime
species, and is by far the most frequently seen
among mountains on the coast. Of the two-
species, the Golden Eagle is on an average
slightly the biggest. The Golden Eagle breeds
early. He who would see their eggs must be pre-
pared to ascend the hills before the last snows
have melted from them. These birds pair for

UP THE MOUNTAINS. 181

life, and consequently have a sort of vested
right in some certain cliff, where for years they
rear their offspring. The nest is often a huge
structure of sticks, lined with moss, dry grass, and
almost invariably a few tufts of a mountain plant
in a green state. It is built in a crevice or on the
sides of some lofty precipice among the moun-
tains. The eggs, usually two in number, some-
times three, are bluish white in ground colour,
more or less thickly blotched and sprinkled with
reddish brown and gray. Generally one of the
eggs is much more handsomely marked than the
other, and in some cases one will be almost en-
tirely without markings at all. The White-tailed
Eagle is just as much attached to its nesting-
place, but its bulky nest is placed upon the sea-
cliffs — a precipice formed by a mountain-side
falling prone to the ocean being its favourite
home. The nest itself is very similar to the
Golden Eagle's, but, curiously enough, the two
eggs are white and colourless. In spite of what
has been stated to the contrary, the Eagles are
cowardly birds when their nests are invaded by
man. The popular notion is that the Eagle will
attack even human intruders, but such is not the
case ; and when disturbed from their home the
old birds are either content to watch our move-
ments whilst sitting on some distant crag, or
evince their anger by swooping past the face of
the cliff, but always well out of harm's way. This
is the case even when there are young birds in
the nest, as I have frequently proved. For
downright pluck in defending its nest an in-
furiated Missel-thrush would give any Eagle a

182 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

good start and a beating, both in courage and in
pugnacity.

Both these Eagles feed on a great variety of
prey. The Golden Eagle is perhaps the cleanest
feeder of the two, and eschews carrion so long as
living fare is to be obtained ; but even he, when
hard pressed by stress of weather or scarcity, will
not hesitate to feast on any dead carcase he may
chance to find upon the hills. The White-tailed
Eagle, however, in this particular is little cleaner
than a Vulture. Indeed, he is the Vulture of the
north, incessantly poking and prying about the
sea-shore and the sheep-farms for carrion ; fish,
flesh, and fowl all being eaten indiscriminately.
Both birds, however, chase living creatures, flying
them down in the open, or even driving the more
powerful animals bewildered over the cliffs. The
blue hares and the Ptarmigan that live in such
plenty on the mountain-tops, and the lambs and
weakly sheep, and the rabbits lower down the
hillsides, are all sought by them. Eagles are not
very noisy birds, but on occasion, especially in
the breeding season, utter an oft-repeated barking
or yelping cry. During the autumn and winter
months these birds are from time to time met
with in more lowland districts, either young ones
wandering from their birthplace, migrants from
across the seas, or individuals that have been
either tempted south by following in the train of
Arctic migrants — Ducks and Geese especially —
or driven from their native mountains by long
and severe winters.

Here among these northern heights in the
country of the Eagles we may still, in a few
favoured localities, meet with the HEN HARRIER

UP THE MOUNTAINS. 183

(Circus cyaneus). It is perhaps the most con- widely
spicuous bird of the hills, its underparts below buttrverUyedj
the breast, and the upper tail coverts, being locaL
white ; its upper parts, throat and breast, gray ;
its wings black. The conspicuousness of the
Hen Harrier is one of the most interesting
features in its economy. Showy plumage among
the Birds of Prey is a most exceptional circum-
stance. These birds are usually dressed as
" quietly " as possible, in a garb least likely to
attract attention or create alarm among those
creatures on which they prey. But here in the
male Hen Harrier we have a bird easily seen
a mile away as it beats along the dark hillsides
or over the heather. Why this conspicuous
dress ? Now I am of opinion that this showy
plumage may be of great service to the Harrier —
a disguise in which it may steal towards its quarry
unsuspected until all too late for the victim to
escape. The rapacious Hen Harrier seems to
be masquerading in the dress of the harmless
Gull ! and by his slow, laboured movements, and
the methodical way in which he quarters the
ground, he might readily be mistaken for a Gull,
even by human intelligence. In fine it seems to
be another instance of Mimicry in Nature, another
case where an enemy is disguised as a friend, and
the dress of a harmless species has been imitated
by another of rapacious tendencies. Precisely
similar remarks apply to the Marsh Harrier, to
Montagu's Harrier, and their allied forms — all
birds frequenting open, treeless districts where
their conspicuous appearance can readily be mis-
taken for more harmless fowl.

The Hen Harrier is only a summer visitor

184 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

to the northern mountains. The migrations of
this species are ranked amongst the shortest of
any undertaken by our summer birds of passage,
very often not reaching beyond the northern
shores of the Mediterranean. On the other hand,
the Marsh Harrier is a bird of much longer flight,
extending its winter wanderings as far south as
the Transvaal. The first time I made the
acquaintance of the Hen Harrier, I was also
fortunate enough to find its nest. It was amongst
the mountains of Skye, just below the crests where
the blue hare lives, and in country frequented by
the Ptarmigan and the Eagle. The time was
late in May. I first met with him as he flew
along in a sauntering manner above the tall heather
which here grew breast-high. Day by day I
used to visit him and his mate, and from their re-
luctance to leave the spot, I concluded their home
was either already made or about to be among the
heath. At last, after diligent search, I was re-
warded, and in the thickest part of the cover
came across a wide flat nest of heather-stems
lined with a few grass-bents. It contained two
eggs, and two more were eventually laid during
the succeeding days, when the hen began to sit.
These eggs are pale bluish green without mark-
ings. Nests of this bird are sometimes destroyed
by sheep walking over them. I also had the good
fortune to meet with this bird in its winter haunts,
where its habits and movements are much the
same as on our British hills. The Hen Harrier
feeds on small birds, mice, and frogs, and like
most of the smaller Raptores it catches coleopterous
insects. I might just call attention to the fact that
the female of this species is slightly larger than

UP THE MOUNTAINS.

185

the male — an almost universal rule in this order —
brown in colour, streaked with reddish brown, and
the tail is broadly barred with buffish brown.

SPECIES.

RESIDENT OR MIGRANT.

CALL OR ALARM
NOTE.

PREVAILING COLOURS.

Ptarmigan . .

Resident

Low croaking cry

Browns, black, buff,

and white, according

to season. (See pp.

171, 172)

Dotterel . .

May to September

Soft prolonged

Grayish brown and buff

diite or durr

abovCf crown black

with white lines below,

below black and chest-

nut

Greenshank

April to September

Loud tee-yu

Above black, gray, and

and October

brown ; rump white,

below white streaked

with brown, tail white

barred with brown

Snow Bunting ,

Few resident.

Long-drawn peezh

Black and white

Majority October

to April

Golden Eagle .

Resident

Loud barking cry

Dark brown, nape pale

brown

White-tailed

Resident

Loud barking cry

Brown, pale on head

Eagle . .

and neck, tail white

Hen Harrier .

April to September

Low chattering

Above and breast slate -

note

gray, wings black, re-

mainder of underparts

white

RAMBLE IX.

OVER THE BROADS AND SWAMPS.

NEXT to the moors the Broads are perhaps the
district which has been least changed by the
march of civilisation and improvement. These
wastes of marsh and water, although many, many
acres have been drained and "improved" away,
still retain much of their ancient charm, and
though many of the birds that dwelt within their
aquatic fastnesses have been driven away or
exterminated by civilised man, there are yet many
more that still cling to their old-time strongholds.
Even to mention the names of a few of these
now banished birds is to conjure in one's mind's
eye a picture of the Broads in their glory, as
they existed centuries ago. We can picture the
magnificent Crane coming at her appointed time
to these marshy solitudes, and making her big
nest on the flat, swampy plain, where she could
detect approaching enemies from afar. We can
visit in our imagination the colonies of curious
Spoonbills that were once established here, those
big white birds with the spatulated beak that
were wont to dabble and scoop in the muddy
shallows ; or the long-legged Avocet with his

OVER THE BROADS AND SWAMPS. 187

upturned bill ; and the charming Black Tern
that returned each season with the spring. All
are gone — banished now for ever from their
watery solitudes, and their names have become
only memories, forgotten even by most folk, yet
lovingly kept green in the calendar of the
naturalist and the student of British Birds.

In spite, however, of the serious loss the
naturalist has sustained by the banishment of
so many species of exceptional interest, there
are still many birds upon the Broads to engage
his attention. Summer and winter alike these
places teem with bird life, and some of the most
local species have their haunt and habitation on
them. We will glance at the few peculiar land
birds first. Rarest and most local of them all
is the BEARDED REEDLING (Panurus biarmicus). Principally
No other British bird can easily be confused of Norfolk.
with the Bearded Reedling — the slate-gray head treed
and black moustachial lines of the male ; the Mr!
rufous brown upper plumage, the pinkish under-
parts, and the long, tawny tail of both sexes,
distinguish it from all other species. Its haunt
is in the reed thickets, where it may be seen
hopping from stem to stem, or passing through
the forest of stalks with amazing speed ; some-
times crossing the narrow canals of water in
dipping uncertain flight from one bed to another,
or fluttering above the purple tops of the reeds
for a fleeting moment, then dropping down again
into the cover. Its notes are very like those
of the Titmice — ping-ping, or hee-rr, hee-rr. In
autumn family parties of Reedlings may be met
with among the withering reeds, and then, per-
haps, its actions are most engaging. Although

1 88 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

I am of opinion that this bird is only distantly
related to the Titmice, in many of its habits it
reminds you of those restless birds. All along
the thicket you may follow them as they flit
before you one after the other, now in full view,
anon lost among the stems, the only sign of their
presence being their by no means loud call-notes.
The food of this bird in summer is composed
of insects, and in winter principally of small seeds.
The nest is made of dry grass and bits of reed,
and often lined with the flowers of the latter.
It is placed under a tuft of aquatic herbage or
amongst the rushes on the drier ground. The
eggs are five or six in number, yellowish white
in ground colour, streaked and speckled with
irregular lines of dark brown.
widely Within these fens and marshes the SHORT-

distributed, .-. , „,

but local. EARED OWL (btmx orachyotus) also brings up its
young. This bird is as much a dweller on the
moors as the marshes, but as we are certain of
meeting him on the Broads, and as those places
are more accessible to the majority of observers,
it is perhaps wisest to deal with its economy
during our present ramble. It may readily be
distinguished by the longitudinal streaks on the
lower parts and its short ear-tufts. It is one of
the most diurnal of the Owls, and may often be
seen hunting the marshy flats and rough broken
ground in the full glare of noonday. Mice and
other small mammals, and frogs, are its favourite
food. In the method of its nesting it differs con-
siderably from its congeners. Its nest is made
upon the ground, usually on some little hillock in
the marshes, or amongst the heather on the moors,
and not unfrequently in a very bare and exposed

OVER THE BROADS AND SWAMPS. 189

spot. This nest hardly deserves the name, for it
is little more than a hollow trod by the bird, into
which a few scraps of dry herbage have been
scraped. The six eggs are pure white. When
disturbed from her nest the sitting bird flies
quickly away, but sometimes returns almost
directly, especially if there are young, to watch
your movements from the air. Often when the
nest contains eggs she remains upon them,
shielding them by her own inconspicuous dress,
until compelled to rise. We shall meet with the
Short-eared Owl again in our rambles by the
shore, when one or two other facts in its economy
may be noted.

The MARSH HARRIER (Circus centginosus), is Norfolk,
also another bird to be met with on the Broads, cLTraih
and one of the rarest and most local of ourfSK
Raptores. The plumage in which it is generally Ireland
met with in this country is dark reddish brown,
becoming rufous white on the head and nape ; the
grayer adult dress is seldom or never seen in
British examples. The long wings and tail are
another marked characteristic. Here in the
marshes the fortunate observer may watch it flying
backwards and forwards at no very great height,
systematically hunting for food, and dropping
down from time to time upon the unsuspecting
creatures that form its food. Birds, leverets,
young rabbits, frogs, insects and eggs compose
the food of the Marsh Harrier. The latter are
sought for most diligently, every unprotected nest
containing eggs being liable to the unwelcome
visits of this rapacious bird — every foot of ground
being searched with a thoroughness scarcely
credible as it beats along in slow and graceful

190 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

flight. Its bulky nest is made upon the ground
under the shelter of a bush or clump of herbage,
or even in the swamps among the reeds. It is
made of reeds, sticks, and lined with grass and
scraps of other aquatic vegetation. The eggs,
from four to six in number, are pale bluish green.
The Marsh Harrier winters in Africa in the
country beyond the Atlas and north of the
Equator, occasionally visiting the Transvaal.
Incessant persecution is slowly but surely ex-
terminating this fine and handsome bird ; and
the very fact of its being so rarely, if at all,
seen in its adult plumage in this country, bears
sad if eloquent testimony to the way in which it is
shot down at every opportunity.

As may very naturally be expected, the Broads
are richest in water birds. The abundance of
cover and the vast extent of the watery solitudes
are a grand attraction for many of the shyest and
the rarest of these dwellers in the marshes. Some
few of these, as we have already noted, have
passed away before the spread of civilisation ;
others are slowly following, and year by year are
becoming scarcer. One of the last lingering
Norfolk, species is the RUFF (Machetes fiugnax). The

Elsewhere ~n> rr - i r i> • 1 • 1 • 1_ 1

jn England, Kurt is another fast-disappearing link with the

and Ireland*, past. At one time it was a regular and a common

donm'gr visitor to the Broads and fenlands of the eastern

counties — now only a few odd pairs breed upon

them. This bird is better known as a migrant,

passing over our islands to and from more

favoured haunts across the North Sea ; and it is

only a few that linger behind, perhaps the last

survivors of the Ruffs of more prosperous days,

and destined soon to die completely away. Some

OVER THE BROADS AND SWAMPS. 191

of the habits of the Ruff are extremely interesting ;
for instance, that of fighting for the females in
spring and assembling at certain recognised spots,
where the males engage in their strange tourna-
ments, and display their plumes and collars to the
admiring females, known as " Reeves." The Ruff
is polygamous, a most exceptional fact in the class
of birds to which this species belongs (Waders). It
arrives at its breeding-grounds on the Broads about
the middle of April, and for the ensuing month
these combats for the Reeves are constantly taking
place. The males are now in splendid plumage,
the singular ruff of feathers round the neck being
at the limit of its beauty. This collar is almost
as remarkable for its eccentricity as for the variety
of its colours ; and the stiff feathers of which it is
composed doubtless serve as a shield in the fray,
as does also the hard warty skin of the face. Both
serve admirably to protect the bird from the thrusts
of its antagonist. Ruffs congregate at the "hills,"
as they are termed, daily, until the mating season
has passed ; the strongest and most vigorous birds
appropriating .the greatest number of Reeves. The
males take no interest in the nest or the young ;
upon the Reeves all family duties fall. She
selects some dry spot in the marshes and makes a
slight nest of bits of withered herbage. Here
she lays her four eggs, greenish gray in ground
colour, spotted and blotched with reddish brown
and gray. Ruffs prefer the marshes to the coast,
and their food is composed of insects, worms, and
mollusks. The Ruff becomes gregarious in winter.
The BLACK-TAILED GODWIT (Limosa melanura)
formerly used to breed in this district, but is now
completely exterminated, although it is occasion-

1 92 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

ally seen in what were once its accustomed haunts,
during its passage to and from more northern
breeding - grounds. It appears as if all the
descendants of these Godwits that used to breed
here are gone, and the birds that pass in spring
are those which have wandered a little too far
to the westward in their northern flight. The
nearly black tail, white wing-bar, and recurved
bill are distinguishing characteristics of this
species. Its note also is remarkable, a shrill,
far-sounding til-it.

The commonest species of Wader upon the
widely Broads is the REDSHANK (Totanus calidris). We
ted' have already noticed him on the wild northern
moors, whither he also retires to rear his young,
and now we will glance more fully at his habits
during that interesting period. We shall also
have cause to notice him yet once again when
our rambles take us along the shore. The Red-
shank, like most other birds of this order, changes
its ground with the season ; thus in spring it quits
the mud-bound coasts and retires to the moors
and marshes to breed. Here, in the district of
the Broads, as soon as signs of returning spring
appear, the Redshank comes. We may soon
know that the birds are back again, for they are
noisy and wary enough, rising from the marshes
as soon as we set foot upon their haunt, and as
they are remarkably social birds, even during the
breeding season, numbers may be seen careering
about the air uttering their expressive double note
of ti-ik, ti-ik. Few birds look prettier or daintier
as they stand upon the little hillocks on their long
slender orange-coloured legs, or run to and fn>
round the clear pools or even along the walls

OVER THE BROADS AND SWAMPS. 193

and fences, just as we noticed the Common Sand-
piper doing. More interesting still are the love
flights of the male birds. Sometimes they start
from a perching-place, or a wall, or even a tree,
and go fluttering higher and higher in the air,
then descend with wings and tail expanded, all
the time uttering a loud and by no means un-
musical trill. The nesting season begins in April.
Several nests may not unfrequently be found on
a comparatively small area of marsh or moor.
Amongst the coarse grass, the rush-tufts, and
other vegetation of her haunt the female scrapes
a little hollow, and lines it with a few scraps of
the dry herbage around. In this rude nest she
lays her four eggs, pale buff in ground colour,
richly and boldly blotched and spotted with
dark brown, lighter brown, and gray. Most of
the markings are on the larger end. The young
birds and their parents keep much together until
their departure for the coast. Insects, larvae, and
small worms are the Redshank's principal food
during its summer sojourn on the marshes and
the moors.

Formerly the BITTERN (Botaurus stellaris)
used to breed commonly enough in this district ;
now it is only known as a visitor, and chiefly in
winter. I came across an old coloured print the
other day, entitled " Bittern Shooting," in which
two sportsmen, with their dogs and flint fowling-
pieces, were shown amongst the fens, with
portraits of dead Bitterns beside them at their
feet, and representations of several live Bitterns
in the air. " Ah," I mused, " poor Botaurus was
evidently common then ; yet how different are his
fortunes now ! Would that we could restore him

1 94 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

.to his fens again!" The LITTLE BITTERN
(Ardetta mimita\ although perhaps never so
common as the preceding species, once appeared
to breed in the fens, and when we remember how
skulking a little creature it is, may even do so at
the present time. Its nest is made upon the

f round, and the white eggs may easily be identi-
ed by any observer fortunate enough to fall in
with the prize. The upper plumage of the Little
Bittern is black with a greenish tinge in the male,
brown in the female ; the underparts are buff.

As may naturally be inferred, this wilder-
ness of swamp, and marsh, and reeds is a
paradise for the Rails. Not counting the Land
Rail, three species of these birds have their
stronghold in the Broads. The commonest of
widely these is the WATER RAIL (Rallus aquations}.

distributed. . , . . . . , . , . x . . 2 . '

Although this bird may be met with in many
other places — in fact in all marshes and swamps
suited to its requirements — there is no district
where it is so universally distributed as in the
Fens. In winter it becomes more local, for many
of its summer haunts do not afford sufficient
shelter at that season, when the rushes wither
and the flags die down. The Water Rail is a
skulking bird, and is rarely surprised far from the
cover of the reeds. When it does come out for
any great distance it is during the night, a period,
by the way, that is invariably selected for its
journeys across country too. Perhaps you may
hear it drop into the water from the bank with a
muffled splash. The Water Rail has seen and
been watching you intently, although you have
failed to observe it ; and as you have approached
its hiding-place it has popped into the friendly

OVER THE BROADS AND SWAMPS. 195

water, and diving under the surface, has quickly
made its way to the adjoining thicket of reeds
and rushes. The Water Rail becomes unusually
active at dusk, especially in places where it is
liable to much disturbance during the day. Then
in the darkening twilight you may stand concealed
behind the friendly bulwark of rushes, and watch
it swim out from its reedy fastness and cross
the more open water, or even step ashore and
search among the wet grass for food. At these
times, too, it takes advantage of the darkness to
go for a spell into the air, and you may trace its
hidden movements across the night sky by its
grating call-note, uttered at intervals — a shrill
crrrick. The same habit of flying about at night
has been already noticed in the Moorhen. What-
ever be the cause of these nocturnal peregrina-
tions, they are most remarkable and interesting,
.and, so far as I am aware, no naturalist has ever
suggested any probable explanation of them.
The Water Rail is a most solitary bird, very
different in this respect from the Moorhen ; and I
do not remember ever seeing more than a pair
together, or even in the same part of the marsh.
The food of this shy, retiring species is largely
composed of beetles, worms, snails, and mollusks,
and in winter, when these are apt to be scarce,
they are supplemented by seeds and the buds and
ileaves of aquatic plants. The Water Rail's
breeding season begins in April, and fresh eggs
•of this bird may be found all through May. The
nest is made amongst the reeds and rushes or the
tangled grass at the water's edge, and is most
difficult to find. We may far more often stumble
across it when least expecting such a prize than

o 2

196 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

when the most persistent and systematic search
has been employed. The bird rarely contributes
towards its discovery ; she sits lightly, and is off
the moment that her quick ear detects advancing
enemies, although I have never known her to
cover the eggs before leaving them. The nest is
made of the materials nearest to hand — the stems
and leaves of the rushes and reeds, dry grass, and
weeds. The eggs are six or seven in number,
like those of the Land Rail, only the spots are
more clearly defined. The black chicks take to-
the water at once, and follow their parents about
the pool and through the vegetation. The Water
Rail is brown, spotted with black above, the
underparts slate-gray, darkest on the flanks, which
are barred with white, and the longest under tail
coverts are also white.

In very similar localities, although much more
widely locally, we may come across the SPOTTED CRAKE

distributed, t s^ \ 11

(Lrex porzana). It is smaller than the Water
Rail, but very similar in appearance, although
readily distinguished by its white spotted upper
plumage. There is little difference between the
habits of the two birds or the nature of their
haunts. What suits one bird is equally well
adapted to the requirements of the other. The
Spotted Crake is just as skulking, just as shy,
just as fond of hiding at the least alarm. It also*
feeds on similar matter. The nest is difficult to
find, especially by one unaccustomed to the task,
and is built in very similar situations to those
selected by the Water Rail and of much the same
materials. The eggs, however, seven or eight in
number, are very different. They are similar in
ground colour, but the spots are large, darker in-

OVER THE BROADS AND SWAMPS. 197

colour, and very distinctly defined. Another
peculiarity is the greenish tinge of the interior of
the shell when held up to the light and viewed
through the hole through which they have been
blown. Like the Water Rail this bird is a
resident, but its numbers are decreased in winter,
or appear to be.

Very similar in general appearance to the
Spotted Crake, though much smaller, BAILLON'S Cambridge
CRAKE (C. bailloni) is also a resident in the fens very °
and broads. Its habits closely resemble those of
its larger ally, but the bird is sometimes met with
near much smaller sheets of water. It not only
swims and dives well, but is capable of flying
quickly enough, if in a somewhat laboured manner.
Like the other Crakes it is shy and retiring in
disposition, and is rarely discovered far from the
cover of rushes and reeds. Its nest is placed in
much the same situations, and is made of similar
materials. The eggs are from five to eight in
number, almost equally pointed at either end, buff
in ground colour, clouded and mottled with olive-
brown and gray. Baillon's Crake feeds on similar
substances to those eaten by its larger congener.
The note of this bird is an oft-repeated kik.

The Broads are also the great stronghold of
the GREAT CRESTED GREBE (Podiceps cristatus).
Like most big birds, especially if much persecuted,
it is a shy one, but is more gregariously inclined
than its smaller ally. We never find it on such
small pools as often content the Little Grebe ; s°cot£endd!n
its preference is for the larger lakes, where,
swimming in the open, it may readily detect the
approach of danger. In many of its habits and
its actions it resembles its congeners. From all

198 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

of these it may readily be distinguished by its
large size — it is the largest of its family, measuring
nearly two feet in length — and in summer the
black ear-tufts, and the chestnut margined with
black tippet or hood, are additional and very
notable characteristics. The Great Crested Grebe
builds a bulky nest — often a floating structure
moored to the reeds — made of dead and rotting
aquatic vegetation of all kinds, the drier and
finer materials being reserved for the lining. The
five eggs are, so far as colour is concerned, exactly
similar to those of the other Grebes, bluish white ;,
but their much larger size prevents any confusion.
They soon become soiled by contact with the
nest and the wet feet and plumage of the parents.
The three other species of Grebes that are in-
cluded in our avifauna are only known as winter
East coasts visitors to our islands. They are the RED-NECKEI>
GREBE (P. rubricollis)> length sixteen inches ; the
SCLAVONIAN GREBE (P. cornutus\ length thirteen
inches. This latter species is a little more widely
dispersed, frequenting the Hebrides, the coasts
of Ireland, and the south coast of England, as
well as the districts visited by the preceding bird.
Lastly, the BLACK-NECKED GREBE (P. nigricollis),
E0ngian°df ^engtn about the same as the last, perhaps a
Ver.y trifle smaller, and remarkable for having white

accidental '. «?

elsewhere, on the primaries as well as the secondaries, and
the bill recurved. Although very distinct in their
breeding or nuptial plumage, the two latter birds
are apt to be confused in their winter dress ; but
the points of distinction here given are always
sufficient rightly to determine them. The Black-
necked Grebe is perhaps most frequently observed

OVER THE BROADS AND SWAMPS. 199

in our islands during its spring and autumn
migrations, although it occurs in winter too.

A ramble over the Broads is a fitting oppor-
tunity to glance at the breeding habits of the
BLACK-HEADED GULL (Larus ridibundus), This widely
exquisitely beautiful bird, readily identified in «%"£%

* • t_ • 11111 \ 11 i° Ireland

spring by its sooty black nead, and at all seasons and scot-

U • 1 J 1 J r J1_- • • land, and

by its coral red legs and feet and white primaries, England

• J J • J 1- U J north of

tipped and margined on the inner web, and York,
generally on the outer web with black, is one
of the most gregarious of the Gulls, and returns
yearly to certain favoured spots to rear its young.
It is also the most inland species of the Gull
tribe, and may be seen in the fields like Rooks,
following the plough or even perched on the
trees in the hedges near. It is an early breeder,
returning to the usual nesting-grounds at the
beginning of April, and the eggs are laid during
the latter part of that month and the first half
of May. A marshy piece of ground, even if
fairly well timbered, or a low island in the centre
of a pool, is a favourite situation. Many of
the nests are little more than hollows amongst
the herbage, but others are better made of
withered, broken reeds and rushes, and coarse
grass. The eggs are three or four in number,
and vary considerably in colour, ranging from
rich brown to pale bluish green in ground, spotted
and blotched with different shades of darker
brown and gray. Vast numbers of the eggs
are taken for food from most of the important
gulleries, the poor birds patiently submitting
to repeated loss. It is absolutely impossible to
convey even a faint idea of the stirring scenes

200 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

to be witnessed at these breeding-places. The
Gulls in noisy clouds fill the air like a snowstorm —
Gulls, Gulls, Gulls are everywhere — high up in
the air, wheeling round and round just above our
heads in fluttering hosts, swimming on the water
near us, or standing on the ground almost at
our feet. As soon as the young are reared,
which is by the middle or end of July, the
birds quit their breeding-stations, and for the
remainder of the year this Gull leads a nomad
kind of life along the coast and at sea. Its
usual food during spring and summer is worms,
grubs, frogs, newly sown grain, and small fish ; but
at other times, fish, crustaceans, and the garbage
of the shore and the sea form its sustenance.

The birds here noticed in detail are the most
characteristic of the Broads, although, as we have
remarked, some of them may be met with in
suitable haunts elsewhere ; whilst, on the other
hand, this district is frequented by a host of
other species whose more usual home is among
scenery of quite a different character. It is my
endeavour in these rambles to introduce to the
reader such birds as are most characteristic of
the country through which he walks. Through-
out the Broads and Fens, therefore, he will meet
with many other birds we have already noted, or
are about to note in rambles yet to follow, so that
a casual allusion to them will be sufficient to
make the sketch of bird life in the Broads fairly
complete. To pass them by in silence would be
like leaving out the details of our picture.

In summer no wanderer after birds across the
Broads will fail to meet with the REED WARBLER
singing lustily from the thickets. All night long

OVER THE BROADS AND SWAMPS. 201

he and the SEDGE WARBLER make this district
melodious with their incessant warblings. And
then from early dawn to the twilight hour the
CUCKOO in the spring and early summer shouts
his name to the marshy wilderness, and may be
seen flying from one pollard willow - tree to
another, often in chase of his mate, or the centre
of a crowd of mobbing, angry small birds. The
REED BUNTING and the SKYLARK will also be
there, the latter soaring to the clouds with wild
enchanting song, distributing a shower of tuneful
music throughout the blue dome of heaven, and far
and wide across the wilderness of swampy meadow
around us. Vying with him in song flights if not
in song are the SNIPES, here, there, and every-
where rising and falling, bleating and trilling their
love music to their mates on the marshes below.
The LAPWINGS are common enough, and may
be seen tossing themselves about the air, utterly
regardless of all laws of gravity, and sure sign
that some danger threatens. The crake-crake of
the LAND RAIL, now loud and near, now low and
far, is at times the most persistent bird note here.
MOORHENS and COOTS swim to and fro in all the
reed and rush-fringed pools; they are everywhere,
giving the touch of life to still, clear waters and
grassy banks, whilst half-tame SWANS ornament
the larger pools and slow-running rivers with
their snow-white grace. Several species of
DUCKS may from time to time be seen — we have
noted them in detail in our ramble by lakes and
streams — swimming in and out of the thickets,
or rocking up and down on the open meres, far
out from shore, where the summer breeze plays
across the unsheltered surface.

202 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

Then in winter-time when the remnants of the
reed thickets are standing rustling in the wind,
their long yellow stems and ribbon-like leaves
rubbing together in mournful cadence, a new army
of birds descends from more northern regions ta
find the open water on which their very life
depends. Gone are the REED WARBLERS and the
CUCKOO ; the SKYLARKS are silent and mostly
away on fields and stubbles ; the LAND RAIL has
betaken himself to Africa ; but DUCKS are com-
moner ; and great gatherings of COOTS are there ;
as well as many a rare and local bird from across
the northern seas, dropped down hap-hazard in
their wanderings, tempted to settle here for a
season until warmer days return. Then, again,
especially during the seasons of migration, many
birds pass over them on their way north or south
to other haunts.

The smaller swamps are perhaps most in-
teresting during the winter months ; for then the
JACK SNIPE (Scolopax gallinula) haunts them.
This bird does not breed within the British
Islands, for they are all too temperate for its
needs. It rears its young on the Arctic tundras,
although returning with astounding regularity to*
a favourite winter corner in this country. It
skulks close among the herbage, and when
flushed dashes off in a peculiar erratic manner; but
no matter how much it is disturbed, it soon con-
trives to slip back unnoticed to its favourite haunt.
The COMMON SNIPE frequents the swamps at this
season too ; and we may often notice, especially
during a long spell of hard weather, many other
birds that are rarely seen near them at any other
time. REDWINGS, BLACK GAME, ROOKS, LAP*

OVER THE BROADS AND SWAMPS. 203

WINGS, STARLINGS, may be instanced as a few of
these.

SPECIES.

RESIDENT OR MIGRANT.

CALL OR ALARM

NOTE.

PREVAILING COLOURS.

Bearded Reed-

Resident

Sharp ping-ping

Head slate -gray, rufous-

ling . . .

brown above, rufous

and pink below

Short-eared Owl

Resident

Harsh scream

Dark buff, streaked

and barred with dark

brown

Marsh Harrier.

Partial resident

Clear pitz-pitz

Head and nape white

streaked with brown,

reddish brown above,

chestnut-brown below

Ruff ....

April to September

Low -wick, but re-

Colours of Ruff very

markably silent

varied, ranging

species

through every shade

and mixture of white,

chestnut, and black.

Brown, black, and

chestnut above, belly

and under tail coverts

white, wings and tail

brown

Black-tailed

On migration :

Clear til-it \ alarm-

Brown and chestnut

God wit . .'

April, May ; Au-

note, tyiit oft re-

above, rump white,

gust, September

peated

chestnut and white

below, a white wing-

bar, tail black

Redshank . .

Resident

Loud tyii ; alarm-

Brown above (except

note, ti-ik

rump, which is white),

barred and spotted

with gray ; white

below, streaked with

brown (except centre

of belly) ; wings parti-
coloured ; tail white

barred with brown

Bittern . . ,

Accidental strag-

Hoarse ca-ivak ;

Buff and black

gler

love -call, cha-

racteristic boom

Water Rail . .

Resident

Clear -whit, shrill

Buffish brown and

crrrick

black above, slate-

gray below

Spotted Crake

Resident

Clear -whit, shrill
crrrick

Dark brown spotted
with white above,

slate-gray and white

below

204

THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

SPECIES.

RHSIDENTOR MIGRANT.

CALL OR ALARM
NOTE.

PREVAILING COLOURS.

Baillon's Crake

Resident

Oft-repeated kik

Dark brown streaked

with white above,

below slate -gray

Great Crested

Resident

Loud kekt oft

Brown above, white

Grebe . .

repeated

below, tippet black

and chestnut, crests

or "horns" brown

Black - headed

Resident

Shrill crricky kah,

French gray and white

Gull . . .

and often kree-ah

above, white below,

with rosy tinge on

breast, head sooty

black in summer

Jack Snipe . .

October to March

Remarkably silent

Brown and yellow

during residence
in this country

glossed with green and
purple above, buffish

white below, barred

(except on belly) with

brown

RAMBLE X.
ALONG ROCK-BOUND COASTS.

ONCE more with our change of scene the birds of
our rambles are different. To-day we will wander
along the rock-bound coasts ; those mighty bul-
warks that rear their stately sea-washed walls in
majesty, and offer a harbour and a resting-place
to many interesting species. Not only are the
lofty cliffs the haunt of birds, but the caves within
them, tunnelled out by centuries of ceaseless
sea-wash, and the rocky islands separated from
the mainland by the waters7 wear and tear, are the
favourite homes of more. The rambler by the sea
will be charmed by the glimpses of bird life that
are constantly greeting him, as he gets fitful
glances at the face of the cliffs, especially if he
visits these places between the months of May
and August. Indeed, the rock-bound coasts are
only seen at their best, so far as bird life is con-
cerned, during summer. At all other seasons
they are comparatively deserted ; for they are
only the nurseries of the great majority of the
birds that frequent them.

Amongst so many things of interest, it is
difficult to convey within the narrow limits of
these pages even a tithe of their charm. One

206 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

feels the task is almost hopeless, if we are to do
justice to all ; and utterly bewildered by the
stirring sights before us, we feel inclined to put
down the pen in despair. We might say so much
about each, had we the space and the time ; for
they are old, old friends whose habits and whose
ways for twenty years and more have been a
source of unalloyed pleasure and gratification.
Perhaps it may be best to deal first with the one
or two species of land-birds that dwell upon these
rocky coasts. One of the most interesting of
these is the PEREGRINE FALCON (Falcoperegrinus),
butveruyted> the only species of the larger Falcons (Falco and
Hierofalco) that breeds within the confines of the
British Islands. The Peregrine is far from being

^5 c?

a common bird, although a pair may be found
breeding in most of the big bird-cliffs, especially
in the northern districts. For dash and boldness
the Peregrine stands unrivalled. His food con-
sists of such birds as Puffins, Ducks, Plovers, and
Pigeons ; and these he flies down in a way so
brilliant and daring as ever to win our admiration,
in spite of its being tinged with regret at the
death of our favourites. Many and many a time
have I seen the sea-birds on some lofty cliff
thrown into commotion by the swoop of this
Falcon, as, like an arrow from a bow, he has
hurled himself among the fluttering hosts and
borne away his victim before the uproar has
actually commenced. Any observer of birds, I
doubt not, can furnish instances of this bold
freebooter's audacity. I am of opinion that the
Peregrine pairs for life ; and year after year the
same cliffs will contain the nest. This is generally
built on a shelf or in a crevice in the least

ALONG ROCK-BOUND COASTS. 207

accessible part, often where the rocks overhang.
The female sits lightly, and quits her eggs almost
as soon as we reach the summit of the cliffs.
Perhaps she is warned of our approach by the
•ever- watchful male, either soaring high in air
above her, or seated on some neighbouring rock
pinnacle which commands a view of the nest.
As a rule, Peregrines are remarkably silent, but
when their nest is threatened by human intruders
they set up an incessant chattering cry, and fly
to and fro past the face of the cliff, or wheel about
in the air above it. Cool of head and lithe of limb
must be the man who essays to reach the home of
the Peregrine when made in an ocean cliff. The
nest is scanty, often nothing but a mere hollow
in the soil, sometimes lined with a few bits of dry
grass and sea campion, and perchance one or two
feathers from the dead birds conveyed thither ;
indeed, the bones and other remnants of the Pere-
grine's victims strew the place if it is big enough
to hold them. The three or four eggs are usually
laid in May and do not differ in any respect save
size from those of the Kestrel. Every variation
seen in the one may be remarked in the other.
The young are kept well supplied with food, more
being taken than they can eat ; but as soon as
they can fly all parental care ceases and they quit
their birthplace for ever. The Peregrine has the
upper parts dark gray, the head and moustachial
lines are black, the underparts are buffish white,
spotted on the throat and breast, and barred on
the remainder with blackish brown.

In one or two favoured districts, especially
on the wild, rocky coast of Wales, the nest of the
COMMON BUZZARD may be found ; and in most

coasts.

208 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

ocean cliffs the JACKDAW has its residence ; but as-
we have already dealt with both these species no-
more than a passing notice is necessary.

On almost all parts of the rocky coast, either
where cliffs abound, or the beach is strewn with
boulders, as well as on most of the rough islands,
we shall be sure to meet with the ROCK PIPIT
AH rocky (Antkus obscurus). It is the only small Passerine
bird of the shore, and seldom or never found in
any other localities. All the autumn and winter
it is more or less gregarious, but in spring it
separates into pairs ; and then we may hear the
simple song of the male as he flies up into the
air a little way in true Pipit style. Sometimes
he sits and sings on the rocks upon the beach,
sometimes when perched high up the dizzy cliffs.
In summer the food of the Rock Pipit is largely
composed of insects and tiny worms, but chiefly
of seeds during the remainder of the year. Small
as this bird is, it is sure to intrude upon your
notice as you stroll along the beach below the
rocks. It flits from the cliffs, uttering its plain-
tive weety and settles again a little further on, or
rises into the air, and after several uncertain
movements either takes refuge high up the
precipice or makes a detour across the water to
its original starting-place. The Rock Pipit pairs
early, but nesting duties do not become very
general with this species until May. The nest
is difficult enough to find, being hidden under
stones and in crevices of the rocks, or even in
holes and amongst fallen cliff. It is made of
dry grass, moss, bits of seaweed, and wherever
possible is lined with hair. As this material is
not always to be had, fine grass is then used as

ALONG ROCK-BOUND COASTS. 209

a substitute. The four or five eggs are dull
bluish white in ground colour, profusely mottled
with grayish or reddish brown, and sometimes
sparingly streaked with darker brown. Rarely
is more than one brood reared in the year, and
young and old often keep together all through the
autumn. The Rock Pipit has the upper parts
olive-brown, streaked with darker brown, a pale
eyestripe, and the underparts below the white
throat are sandy buff (darkest on the breast, and
shading into olive on the flanks) streaked except
on the belly with brown. The light patch on
the outermost tail feathers is smoke-brown.

Our next species unfortunately is fast be-
coming a rare bird. No bird that breeds on the
rock-bound coasts is now more locally dispersed
than the CHOUGH (Pyrrhocorax graculus}. This
pretty bird is distinguished by his glossy black British
plumage and curved red bill. The orbits of the ncS
eyes, as well as the legs and toes, are also red, Sh
but these peculiarities are not so readily observed.
At one time, it may be remarked, the Chough
frequented inland cliffs, but these have long been
deserted for the ocean rocks. I am of opinion
that the Jackdaw has done more to exterminate
the Chough than anything else, not even except-
ing man. Times have prospered with the pert,
lively, quarrelsome Jackdaw ; and he has succeeded
in ousting his more peaceable neighbour, not only
from the country cliffs, but even the sea-girt rocks
whither he has followed it. The British colonies of
Choughs are few and far between. I personally
know of one or two, but forbear to mention their
exact location for reasons which I am sure the
reader who loves birds will appreciate. In its

210 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

flight and in many of its habits the Chough
resembles the Jackdaw, and its cackling note is
also very similar. The Chough comes inland to
feed, and may then be seen following the plough
and digging up the newly sown grain, running
to and fro, and occasionally flying a little way
from one part of the field to another. The food
of the Chough is composed of insects, worms,
and grain, and of various substances found upon
the beach, where the bird sometimes alights.
The Chough breeds in May, making its nest in
crevices and holes in the cliffs, in situations often
quite inaccessible to man. The nest is made of
sticks, turf, and dry grass, and lined with wool,
and occasionally with hair. The eggs are from
four to six in number, varying from bluish or
greenish wrhite to pale creamy buff in ground
colour, spotted and blotched with light and dark
brown and gray.

It is also on the sea-cliffs that the nest of the
widely RAVEN (Corvus cor ax] may now almost only be

distributed. r , v^ i r i i T-» >

but very found. Jb ew and far between are the Ravens
nests round English coasts ; but in Scotland,
especially in the north, this handsome bird is still
common, and may be met with in a great variety
of scenery, both inland, on the mountain sheep-
farms, and on the coast. Its habits are very
similar to those of the Carrion Crow. It is con-
stantly prying about in quest of plunder, and as
its food consists pretty well of every living
creature it can overpower or capture, it may be
met with almost everywhere. At all seasons it
appears to be socially inclined, yet not what we
can call gregarious. The Raven is an early
breeder, and one which undoubtedly pairs for

ALONG ROCK-BOUND COASTS. 211

life, so that the old nest is used season by season,
being patched up and renovated each spring.
The nest is often made in March — sometimes
not until the end of April. It is placed upon a
shelf of the rocks, not always in a very inac-
cessible place, and is made of sticks cemented
with turfs, and lined with grass, roots, and wool ;
sometimes the lining is of moss and wool. The
•eggs are from four to six in number, exactly
resembling those of the Rook in colour, but
nearly twice the size. The note of the Raven
is a hoarse pmck, which becomes more musical in
•spring or when the birds are paying court to
their mates. The large size is sufficient to
identify the Raven, otherwise it resembles the
Carrion Crow in appearance, but the feathers
on the throat are elongated into hackles.

With a brief notice of the ROCK DOVE AH rocky
(Columba livia) the list of land-birds frequenting c°
the rocks will be brought to a close. One of the
most interesting facts attached to this bird is that
it is the original stock from which the domestic
Dove has been derived. Rarely or never does
the Rock Dove perch in trees ; it loves to nestle
in the ocean cliffs and caves, dashing out with
impetuous haste as our boat approaches, and
doubling quickly is soon lost to view over the
top of the cliffs. Rock Doves are gregarious all
the year round, and the colonies are large or
small, compact or scattered, according to the
nature of the haunts they frequent. This bird
is capable of fast and long-continued flight, and
often goes for miles to feed. Its note is a rich,
full coo, variously modulated when the bird is
oander sexual excitement ; but as is the case with

P 2

212 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

other members of this family, it is rarely heard
out of the breeding season. The Rock Dove is
an early breeder, and continues to rear brood
after brood all the summer through. April, May,
and June, however, are the busiest months. A
shelf in a cave is selected by preference, but if
this cannot be had, crannies and clefts in the
cliffs are used as nesting-places. The nest is
slight enough — a few sticks and straws, a scrap
or two of dry grass, or a few bits of seaweed are
raked together, and the two eggs are pure white.
The Rock Dove obtains most of its food on the
pastures and ground near the cliffs, sometimes
visiting farms several miles inland. This is com-
posed of grain, seeds, and the shoots of herbage.
The white lower back and rump, and the two'
conspicuous black wing- bars, distinguish this
species. The STOCK DOVE may also be met with
round many rocky coasts.

We now arrive at the more legitimate dwellers
of the rocks — the birds that have their home
upon the wide and open sea, and which only
come to land to rear their offspring, crowding
in tens of thousands to certain favoured cliffs.
The greatest rock-birds are the very distinct
little family of AUKS (Alcidce). Of these the
wasstsrocky two kest known species are probably the GUILLE-
MOT (Alca troile) and the RAZORBILL (A. torda).
Both these birds are eminently gregarious, and
especially so during the breeding season. Both
birds are similar in appearance, although the
upper plumage of the Guillemot is browner in
shade, and the broad bill of the Razorbill,
with its white stripe across the centre, is very
different from the long, thin, and pointed bill of

ALONG ROCK-BOUND COASTS. 213

the Guillemot. Between the months of May
and August the rocks where these birds most
do congregate present a busy scene, and the
sea below swarms with birds, which are con-
stantly going to and returning from the ledges
of the cliffs. Both birds are past masters of
the art of diving, and both chase the small fish
and crustaceans on which they chiefly feed with
deadly skill. They sit high and lightly on the
water just like Ducks, and dive with the rapidity
of thought. Very often towards the close of
the summer days, strings of Razorbills and
Guillemots may be seen flying swiftly along
just above the waves to their distant colony.
They have been miles away to the spot where
the shoals of fry have congregated near the
surface, and now they are going home. Neither
of these birds is shy, and both will allow your
boat to pass within a few yards ; but very often
their timidity gets the better of them, and they
plunge beneath the green waves to appear again
at a safer distance. Singularly enough these
two birds, whose other habits are so much alike,
differ considerably in the matter of their do-
mestic arrangements, although neither of them
makes any nest. The Guillemot frequents the
ledges of the cliffs, the little prominences, and
the flat tops of the pinnacle-shaped rocks. Here
it lays its single, big, pear-shaped egg, exposed
to the gaze of every one who climbs along or
is lowered down the face of the cliffs. In spite
of what we read to the contrary, the Guillemot
generally manages to select some little inequality
on the shelf, some little hollow where her egg
is not easily toppled over. It would be vain

2i4 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

to attempt to describe the infinite variations of
colour and markings displayed on the shell of
the Guillemot's egg — greens, browns, buffs, blues,
and whites of every shade represent the ground
colours ; browns, grays, and pinks of equal di-
versity the markings. In shape these markings
are as diversified as in colour — streaks, spots,
blotches, pencilled lines, and irregular masses,
all occurring in delightful variety. The Razor-
bill, on the other hand, requires a cranny or
a hole in the broken cliffs in which to deposit
her egg, where it is usually well concealed from
view. I have known it laid in a hole in the
ground. Although nothing near the amount of
variation is to be seen in the eggs of this species,
they exhibit considerable diversity. The ground
colour varies to every shade between white and
brown, and the very bold and decided blotches
and spots from dark liver - brown to grayish
brown. It is a curious fact that no green of
any shade is ever seen on the Razorbill's eggs,
but when held up to the light the inside of the
shell is a beautiful pea-green. Both species only
rear one young bird each season, but they
will lay several eggs in succession if they are
removed. Vast numbers of these eggs are
gathered for food, especially at St. Kilda. I
have here seen the men, when they chanced to
get to a part of the cliff where eggs were un-
usually abundant, take off their coats and fill
the sleeves with the spoil — nay, more, they have
even divested themselves of their nether gar-
ments and turned them into temporary sacks,
rather than leave the harvest behind. For-
tunately St. Kilda is an out-of-the-way place,.

ALONG ROCK-BOUND COASTS. 215

and the feelings of no prying tourist are ever
shocked at such primitive simplicity.

Our two other species of Auk are the BLACK North and
GUILLEMOT (A. grylle), distinguished in summer sSknd,

U '<- U1 1 U J 1 1 J 'I. north of

by its black body plumage, glossed with green, Ireland.
and its white wing coverts ; and the PUFFIN Most
(Fratercula arctica). The first of these birds
is the most local of the group ; and the most im-
portant particular in which its habits differ from
the Common Guillemot is the fact of its breeding
in holes and crannies of the cliffs, sometimes even
at a distance from the sea, and laying two eggs.
These are white or pale green in ground colour,
blotched and spotted with various shades of brown
and gray. The Black Guillemot is nothing near
so gregarious as its allies, and it is generally dis-
persed sparingly along the coast — a lew pairs here
and there in suitable spots. The fry of fish,
crustaceans, and small shell-fish are the food of the
Black Guillemot. This bird may often be seen
fishing close inshore, even in sea-lochs, and braves
even the roughest waves in quest of its finny prey.
It dives and swims with equal grace, and rarely
uses its wings, except to visit its rocky home.
One never sees the water thickly studded with
these birds.

Very different, however, in this respect is the
Puffin. There is no more gregarious bird along
the rocky coast than he, and a visit to his colony
is a treat indeed to the lover of animated nature.
He cannot be mistaken for any other species, his
big brightly coloured beak and comical facial ex-
pression making him the most peculiar bird along
the rock-bound coasts. In the colour of his
plumage he is something like the Razorbill, only

216 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

his throat is white at all seasons, that bird's only
in winter. Throughout the autumn and winter
the Puffin is not seen much near the land, but in
spring they congregate at the old accustomed
haunts, coming from the surrounding sea with
marked regularity. The date of their arrival
varies a good deal with the locality, sometimes
being as early as March, at others not before the
beginning of May. For miles around a Puffin
colony the sea is studded with birds, swimming
and diving, and flying to and fro. But the great
centre of interest is ashore, either on the low
rock-bound islands or the cliffs. At some of
these Puffin colonies the visitor is apt to feel
disappointed at first, because scarcely a bird is to
be seen ; but at others the stirring sight frustrates
all attempts to describe it. This is because the
Puffin makes its nest in a hole in the ground, just
like a rabbit burrow, either in. the soft earth near
the top, or on the sloping downs among the cliffs,
or yet again in the peaty soil that covers the
rocky islets (as at the Femes), or on the bare
sloping hillsides (as at St. Kilda). Now in some
places all the birds are hidden away under-
ground, and do not leave their burrows until
pulled out by the hand ; yet in others, especially
when on the cliffs and downs, they appear to sit
more at the entrance of their holes, and imme-
diately take wing when you approach, sweeping
down to the sea in a bewildering, silent multitude.
The Puffin generally excavates its own burrow,
using its sharp claws to bore into the ground,
throwing out the loose soil behind it as it goes.
Several feet or sometimes several yards from the
entrance a slight nest of dry grass and perhaps a

ALONG ROCK-BOUND COASTS. 217

feather or two is formed. In this the female
deposits her single egg, which is dirty white
in ground colour, very faintly spotted and
blotched with brown and gray. But one nestling
is reared ; and as soon as the young are able
to fly the great colony begin to desert the land
and betake themselves to the sea for the re-
mainder of the year. The food of the Puffin
is fish, especially sprats, and the fry of the
herring, small crabs, and crustaceans.

From the Auks it is an easy step to the
LARID.E, or Gulls. Five species of these graceful,
charming birds have their summer haunts along
the rock-bound coasts. Most closely associated
of them all with the cliffs is the K ITTI WAKE on most
(Larus tridactyhis}. The other species breed
indiscriminately on low, rocky islands, as well as nc
on ocean cliffs', but the pretty Kittiwake is never
known to make its nest on any but the steepest
and most inaccessible precipices. Two things
enable you to identify this Gull with ease. The
first is its rock-haunting habits, and the second is
its unmistakable note, which resembles the sound
of its own name — thus, kitty -a-ake, which by a
slight stretch of the imagination may be likened
to the words, ah -get -away, get-a-way. The
Kittiwake, as is the case with nearly all the
Gulls, in fact, is a gregarious bird, and numbers
make their nests together on the face of the same
cliff. What is also of even greater interest is the
fact that it probably pairs for life, and uses the
same nest yearly, provided the wintry storms
have not destroyed it. The Kittiwakes nest
much lower down the cliffs than the Guillemots,
and often in places where nothing but a bird

218 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

could ever get or keep a foothold. Here, on the
narrow ledges and on the little projections far
down the awful depths, you may see the birds at
their nests, standing on them, or fluttering along
past the face of the cliff, in places enough to*
terrify the most intrepid human climber. These
nests are made of turf with the soil and roots
still clinging to them, which the salt spray and
wet feet of the birds soon turn into a mortar-like
mass ; then seaweed and stalks of plants are used,
and the whole is lined with fine, dry grass, and
perhaps a few odd feathers from the parent's
plumage. The droppings from the birds soon
whitewash the whole, as well as the rocks all
round it. The eggs are three or four in number,
bluish green or yellowish or olive- brown in
ground colour, spotted and blotched with dark
and light brown and gray. The moment their
homes are threatened, the Kitti wakes set up a
noisy clamour, rising here, there, and every-
where from the face of the cliffs in fluttering
hosts, drifting to and fro in anxious alarm. As
soon as the young can fly the rocks are deserted,
and for the remainder of the year the Kittiwake
spends most of its time at sea. The food of this
Gull is fish, crustaceans, shell-fish, and almost
any refuse floating on the water.

Rocky Next to the Kittiwake the GREAT BLACK-

e^peSiiiyin BACKED GULL (Zr. marinus] is certainly the most
rock-haunting species. At the same time it is
one of the most local of the Gulls besides being
the largest. It is also much less gregarious, and
is more inclined to breed in scattered pairs in the
least frequented parts of the coast. It makes its
bulky nest in early summer upon the top of some

Devon.

ALONG ROCK-BOUND COASTS. 219

isolated stack of rocks, or on a ledge in the
highest cliffs. Usually this nest is slight, some-
times nothing but a mere hollow lined with
a few bits of dry grass. The eggs are two or
three in number, olive-brown, or light brown in
ground colour, spotted with various shades of
darker brown and gray. The large size, and
very dark slate-gray mantle, serve to distinguish
this handsome bird from its smaller congener, the
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (L. fuscus\ Very widely

,.rr , i i • r i i • i distributed.

different are the habits of these two birds, Not known

. . 1 . r , . to breed

especially during the season of reproduction, beiow^
The Lesser Black-backed Gull is eminently sou'S? to

* T^*r/vt-»

gregarious and social, and wherever facilities
are afforded great numbers breed in company.
Wherever it is possible, this fine bird prefers a
rocky island to the mainland, and the uneven
surface of the ground in such localities seems
always to be selected rather than shelves of the
cliffs. In many places, however, the birds have
no choice — as at St. Kilda — and are forced to
breed among the highest inaccessible cliffs
among the Guillemots and Razorbills. Like its
larger ally, the flat grassy top of a rock-stack
standing alone in the sea is sometimes selected.
The most extensive colony of Lesser Black-
backed Gulls that I know of is at the Feme
Islands — there this Gull is the one predominating
species. Its nest may be found almost anywhere
on these far-famed islets ; among the luxuriant
carpet of sea campion and coarse grass, on the
ledges of the low rocks which on all sides stand
out from the peaty soil, in the hollows among
the Puffin burrows, and wedged tightly in the
rock crevices where the Eiders nest. The

220 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

materials of which it is composed vary a good
deal in quantity and description, according to
the district. Thus many nests are made of
leaves and stalks of sea campion, lined with
grass ; others are almost entirely constructed of
turf and grass ; others, yet again, are made ex-
ternally of heather branches, bits of seaweed, and
lined with grass. All, however, are somewhat
poorly made, and in many instances a mere
hollow in the turf is the only provision for the
eggs. This Gull lays three or four eggs, which
vary in colour almost as much as those of the
Guillemot. The ground colours are pale green,
bluish white, browns of various shades, buff, and
gray, and the spots and blotches vary from dark
liver-brown to pale olive-brown and gray. It
should here be remarked that colonies of both
this Gull and the Great Black-backed Gull are
sometimes established on islands in lochs at
some distance from the open sea. Only one
brood is reared in the season, and as soon as
the young can fly the usual wandering life is
resumed, the immature birds flocking much by
themselves.

Another bird whose habits and the localities

it frequents during the breeding season are very

widely similar to the foregoing, is the HERRING GULL

distributed. / T . T° & ' , . r i • i • i

(JL. argentatus). Large colonies of this bird are
rare. Such may be seen in favoured parts of
the high cliffs of the mainland or the grass-
clothed islands, but we far more frequently come
across a few pairs of birds scattered here and
there along the coast. From motives of security
the Herring Gull prefers an island for a breeding-
place, although it readily adapts itself to circum-

ALONG ROCK-BOUND COASTS. 221

stances — as a proof of which it is the most widely
distributed of all the Gulls during the breeding
season. The nests are precisely similar to those
of the preceding species — sometimes slight, some-
times more elaborate, according to circumstances.
The eggs are two or three in number, varying
from pale bluish green to olive and yellowish
brown, spotted with dark and light brown and
gray. All these large Gulls become very
clamorous when their breeding -haunts are in-
vaded, the present species especially so. All
the time you are at the nests the parents, in a
dense, drifting, fluttering throng, persistently
keep up a chorus of chattering notes, sounding
like ki-uk ki-uk or hak-hak-hak. The Herring
Gull is readily distinguished from all its larger
congeners by the pale gray of its mantle.

Our last species of this group is the COMMON

/-* f -r \ r 1 1 r i Scotland

GULL (L. canus), one of the most local of the and Ireland,
Gulls during the breeding season, and only met England?
with then in northern and western districts. Its
much smaller size serves to distinguish it from
the Herring Gull, although the colour of its
plumage is much the same. These birds begin
to collect at their breeding-stations towards the
end of April, but the nests do not contain eggs
before the middle or even the end of May.
Colonies of this Gull may occasionally be met
with on islands in lakes some distance from the
sea, as well as on the rock-stacks near the coast
of the mainland ; but so far as my own observa-
tions go, rocky islands in the quiet Highland sea-
lochs are the favourite place of assembly during
summer. Here almost every little island rock
contains a pair or so, and on the biggest islands,

222 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

those of a few acres in extent, small colonies
may be met with. The nests are made on the
ground, amongst the crevices of exposed rock,
or in holes in the turf, and are of the slightest
description — most of them little more than hollows
in which a few bits of dry herbage have been
collected. A few, however, are better made of
heather-twigs, turf, and bits of seaweed. The
three or four eggs are olive-brown of various
shades, spotted and streaked with darker brown
and gray. This Gull is most clamorous at the
nest ; its harsh note of yak being kept up with
irritating persistency all the time of our stay.
Only one brood is reared in the year.

These northern rock-bound coasts are the
favoured haunt of several other interesting birds.
st. Kiida. Most local of them all is the FULMAR PETREL
(Fulmarus glacialis\ whose only great breeding-
place is on the awful precipices and sloping, turf-
clad cliffs of far-away St. Kilda. A ramble to
St. Kilda is not to be lightly thought of; but I
cannot pass the Fulmar by without a few brief
words of notice. The cliffs here, from May to
August, are white with birds, the air is filled with
birds, numerous as snowflakes in a winter storm.
All the grassy patches and slopes, all the ledges
of the cliffs are crowded, packed with Fulmars'
nests, every inch of available ground or rock
being in most places occupied. The turf-covered
cliffs are the favourite nesting-places, for this bird
loves a hole in the ground, no matter however
shallow, in which to deposit its single white, rough-
shelled egg. But there is not grassy cliff enough
for a tenth part of the birds that breed here, and
the less fortunate have to be content with the

ALONG ROCK-BOUND COASTS. 223

ledges and crannies of the rocks. The highest
and most important cliff in the island is Connacher
— a vast wall of rock falling sheer down to the
Atlantic, formed by a mountain-side, twelve
hundred feet high, having crumbled away before
the stormy buffetings of this wide ocean during
past ages. It is utterly impossible to portray
the stirring scenes in this brief notice ; and I
must refer any reader who is sufficiently interested
in the subject to my work, " Our Rarer Birds,"
where he will find a full description of these
famous islands and the birds that breed upon
them.

Along the rocky coasts in certain favoured
districts we may find the EIDER DUCK (Somateria Hebrides,

7 / • • \ i i • • i i • • • i • extending to

mottissima) breeding in localities suited to its gJJ™^
needs. The Eider is a thorough bird of the sea, and Femes.
and only comes on land for the purpose of rearing
its young. In spring, parties of these birds may
be met with inshore, among the little rocky creeks
and fiords, and then the males are particularly
noisy, paying court to the females by swimming
round them, bowing their heads, and opening and
closing their wings, and uttering a grunting kind
of noise. Soon after this the birds separate into
pairs, and by the middle of May the nests are
ready for eggs. Although the Eider usually
makes her nest upon the low, rocky islands in a
crevice of the rocks, or even amongst the sea
campion and long, coarse grass, she occasionally
chooses a site on the cliffs, hundreds of feet above
the water. The crevices of old ruins and the holes
in tumble-down walls are also selected for nesting-
places, as the visitor to the Feme Islands will not
fail to remark. The nest, made entirely by the

224 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

female, is big and well made, composed of dry
grass, bits of seaweed, the stalks of the sea
campion and other plants, and sometimes heather
branches. This is warmly lined with down from
the parent's body, gradually accumulated during
the time the eggs are being laid. These are six
or seven in number, pale olive-green and without
markings. As is usual with the Ducks, the
showily attired male bird keeps away from the
nest, although in the Eider Duck he joins his mate
when she leaves the nest for food ; and then they
may be seen swimming side by side. Before
leaving home the female is careful to cover her
conspicuous eggs from view. The Eider Duck
is very sociable during the nesting season, and
in places where the birds are numerous, numbers
of nests are made side by side. Where they are
protected by man, these Ducks become very tame,
and will allow an observer to stand and stroke
them as they sit upon their nests. The young
are taken to the sea soon after they are hatched..
In spite of the grandmotherly criticism of the
Athenceum, I am going to repeat my opinion that
the much rarer KING EIDER DUCK (S. spectabilis]
probably breeds within the precincts of the British
Islands. For stating that I had seen this rare
Duck at St. Kilda during the summer, I was-
accused by some wise, stay-at-home-know-every-
thing critic attached to that paper, to put it as
mildly as possible, of conscious inaccuracy. It is-
gratifying to record that my opinion has been
shared (in a written communication) by Mr.
Harvie-Brown, a gentleman who has forgotten
more of the ornithology of this wild, little-known
region of the Hebrides than is, or is ever likely

ALONG ROCK-BOUND COASTS. 225

to be, within the knowledge of the anonymous
writer of such arrant nonsense.

Another bird of these wild northern coasts is
the RED-BREASTED MERGANSER (Mergus serrator). widely
It is not known to breed anywhere in England,
occurring there as a winter visitor. This bird
loves a rocky, irregular coast the best — a coast
full of lochs, and creeks, and fiords. The male is
one of the showiest birds of the rock-bound coast,
easily identified as he sits low on the water, close
inshore, by his bright red narrow bill and bushy
black crest. The rambler by the waterside on
these northern coasts is sure to meet with pairs
of these birds swimming along just below the
rocks, searching the shallows for food, or re-
peatedly diving in the deeper water. From time
to time he may see them flying quickly along the
lochs to visit the bare rocks at low water, amongst
which they pick up crustaceans and little fish left
in the pools on the shore. The sharply toothed
bill of this bird enables it to seize the fish with
deadly certainty. These fish are pursued under
water in a precisely similar manner to the way in
which the Guillemot and the Cormorant chase
their prey. In the breeding season the Red-
breasted Merganser is not what we can term
gregarious, although several nests may be found
within a small area of the coast. A rocky island
is always selected if possible. The scanty nest is
often made under the shelter of a rock, at other
times amongst the coarse grass and heath that
clothes these islets. It is little more than a
hollow in the ground, lined with a few bits of dry
grass, but down from the parent is added as the
eggs are laid. These are from eight to twelve in

Q

coasts.

226 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

number, and olive -gray in colour. They are
generally laid in May or early June. The much
rarer GOOSANDER (Af. merganser] breeds sparingly
in the Highlands, but is not sufficiently numerous
to merit more than a passing notice here. It is
best known as a winter visitor to our islands,
becoming least common in the south. The
creamy white eggs are laid in a hollow tree.

Two very noteworthy birds met with on
AH rocky almost every rocky coast are the CORMORANT
{Phalacrocorax car bo] and the SHAG (P. cristatus).
These dusky birds may often be seen flying in a
heavy, laboured way across the water, or entering
or leaving the caves and fissures of the cliffs.
The habits of both birds are very similar. Some-
times quite a gathering of Cormorants or Shags
(of the two, the latter is perhaps the most gre-
garious) may be seen sitting on a rock sunning
themselves, and from time to time we may come
across them fishing close inshore in the deep
water below the cliffs. Their food is composed
of fish, which they catch either by diving and
pursuing them under water, or by plunging from
a rock. A rocky island — as at the Femes — or
even a tree at some distance inland, but much
more frequently a ledge of the cliffs is employed
by the Cormorant as a nesting-site ; but the Shag
always prefers a cave or a rock-fissure by the sea
in which to make its nest. Both species make
rude, slovenly nests of sticks, dry weeds, and
grass, flat in form, and usually covered with
droppings and decomposing fish. The eggs of
each (two or three in number) are the same in
colour — a delicate green when newly laid, but
thickly coated with chalk, and soon becoming

ALONG ROCK-BOUND COASTS. 227

soiled and dirty. Those of the Cormorant are
the largest on an average. Both birds often
begin to sit as soon as the first egg is laid. It
is probable that both these birds pair for life, and
year by year frequent certain favoured spots,
using the old nest annually. The Shag may
always be distinguished from the Cormorant by
its smaller size, absence of white in the plumage,
and generally browner appearance. It is further
characterised by having only twelve feathers in
the tail, the Cormorant possessing fourteen. In
the nuptial season a frontal crest of curly feathers
is assumed by the Shag, but these drop off soon
after the eggs are laid ; at the same period the
Cormorant assumes white plumes on the thighs,
and white filaments on the head and neck, the
latter abrading away by the time the eggs are
laid, and the former during the course of the
summer.

With a short notice of the GANNET (Sula Scotland:
bassana), we will bring this ramble to a close. ISSmd,
With the exception of the breeding season this AfisssaRock'
fine bird rarely comes near the land, and then England1;
only to one or two chosen localities. A visit ^s"^nd;* and
to the breeding-place of the Gannet is a red-letter BuifSUk,
day in the experience of the lover of birds. L?tdeRock'
Take the Bass for example. Here the Gannets81"
begin breeding early in May. The nests are
built everywhere among the selected cliffs, on
every ledge and projection big enough to hold
the bulky structures. Many nests are made
amongst the fragments of rock at the top of the
cliffs, others lower down in much less accessible

* A small branch of this colony is established on an islet
off the coast of Pembroke.

228 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

haunts. These nests are cone-shaped and flat,
made of seaweed, turf, straw, and moss, and
lined with grass. They are built so close together
in many places that the sitting birds jostle each
other, and fights between the overcrowded
Gannets are constantly taking place. The single
egg of the Gannet is bluish green when first
laid, but soon loses all trace of its original colour
from contact with the wet feet of the sitting bird
and the dirty nest. The scene is pretty and
exciting in the extreme. Clouds of white Gannets
are soaring and fluttering in all directions before
the cliffs, the sea below is white with more ; and
all the time one incessant din of noisy cries
rings like a babel in the air. These notes re-
semble the syllables carra-carra. Birds, birds,
birds are everywhere : some carrying materials
for their nests ; some disgorging fish by the side
of their sitting mates ; some fast asleep on the
grassy downs at the edge of the cliffs ; some
fighting, toppling over the cliffs locked together
by their bills ; some sitting quietly on their egg ;
some rising up to leave their nest with the
greatest reluctance as we approach — all interesting
to the observer, even after repeated visits to the
colony. The Gannet feeds exclusively on fish,
which the bird secures by plunging down upon
them from on high. This bird never dives ; all
the fish it catches are near the surface, and they
are always seized in the long, sharp, powerful
beak. A flock of Gannets fishing in some quiet
bay is one of the prettiest sights a rock-bound
shore can show. The Gannet is about the size
of a small Goose, nearly uniform white in colour,.

ALONG ROCK-BOUND COASTS.

229

except the primaries and primary coverts, which
are black. The head and neck are more or less
suffused with buff. As soon as the young are
reared the Gannets desert the land, and for the
remainder of the year become nomads of the
sea.

SPECIES.

RESIDENT OR MIGRANT.

CALL OR ALARM
NOTE.

PREVAILING COLOURS.

Peregrine Falcon

Resident

Harsh chatter

Dark gray above,buffish
white below, spotted

and barred with

blackish brown

Rock Pipit . .

Resident

Plaintive weet or

Olive - brown above,

peep

sandy buff below,

spotted with dark

brown, eyestripe pale

and conspicuous

Chough . . .

Resident

Cackling note,
something like
that of Jackdaw

Glossy black with me-
tallic blue and purple
gloss on upper plu-

mage ; bill, legs, and

feet red

Raven . . .

Resident

Hoarse pruck

Glossy black with blue

and purple gloss

Rock Dove .

Resident

Rich full coo

Slate-gray above, lower

back and rump white,

lavender-gray below,

black wing-bars very

pronounced

Guillemot . .

Resident

Very silent bird ;

Dark brown above (in-

occasionally

cluding neck), pure

utters a low

white below

grunting sound

on cliffs

Razorbill . .

Resident

Remarkably silent

Black above (including

bird, but some-

throat), pure white

times grunts like

below

preceding

Black Guillemot

Resident

Remarkably silent

Black glossed with

bird, but some-

green, wings black

times grunts like and white, legs and

preceding

feet red ; in winter

underparts white, and

portions of upper

parts mottled with

same

230 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

SPECIES.

RESIDENT OR MIGRANT

CALL OR ALARM
NOTE.

PREVAILING COLOURS.

Puffin . . .

Resident

Remarkably silent

Crown gray, rest of

bird ; when

upper parts black,

dragged from

white below

hole sometimes

utters harsh

scream

Kittiwake . .

Resident

Loud kitty-a-ake

Gray and white above,

white btlow

Great Black-

Resident

Loud oft-repeated

Dark gray and pure

backed Gull.

agag

white above, white

below

Lesser Black-

Resident

Persistent and oft-

Dark gray and pure

backed Gull.

repeated ki-uk

. white above, white

and ak

below

Herring Gull .

Resident

Persistent and oft-

Slate-gray and white

repeated ki-uk

above, white below

and ak

Common Gull .

Resident

Clamorous yak

Slate-gray and white

above, white below

Fulmar Petrel .

Resident

Silent

Slate-gray and white

above, white below

Eider Duck .

Resident

Grating /•;-, harsh

Head and nape black,

ah-oo

white, and green ;

black and white

above ; scapulars and

innermost secondaries

white, crown black ;

buff and black below

King Eider

Rare visitor

Grating /•;-, harsh

Similar to preceding,

Duck , . .

ah-oo

but scapulars black,

crown gray, black

V-shaped mark on

throat meeting at chin

Red - breasted

Resident

Harsh karr karr

Head and upper neck

Merganser .

glossy black ; black

and white above ; buff

and white below ; two

black bars across

wings

Cormorant . .

Resident

Remarkably silent,

Black glossed with

but sometimes

purple and green

utters harsh

croak

Shag . . .

Resident

Remarkably silent,

Similar to preceding,

but sometimes

but not so metallic

utters harsh

croak

(jannet . . .

Resident

Harsh carra-carra

White, primaries and

primary coverts black

RAMBLE XI.
BY SANDY SHORES.

STILL keeping to the coasts, we will now confine
our attention to a ramble across the sands and the
shingly beaches. Here, according to season, vast
numbers of birds may be met with, and here
during the summer months a few very interesting
birds have their homes. We will also visit a few
of the grassy downs, those beautiful expanses of
smooth, short turf of brightest green above the
sea, where other and shyer fowl come to rear their
young with each returning spring.

Summer and winter alike, the long, broad
stretches of sandy beach that occur on most parts
of the coast which have any foreshore at all, are
the home of the RINGED PLOVER (sEgialitis widely
hiatMild). This bird is easily recognised as it distributed-
runs across the sands, often close to the receding
waves, by its broad white collar, white forehead
and throat, black breast and cheeks, brown upper
parts and pure white underparts below the breast.
In autumn and winter it is not unfrequently found
where the shore is muddy, and even some con-
siderable distance from the sea up a tidal river
or near a large sheet of water ; but in summer

232 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

it loves the sand the best, and there it generally
rears its young. The actions of this pretty little
bird are always engaging. I could stand for
hours watching it trip about the smooth, brown,
wet sand, following each spent wave, and
searching every inch of ground as the water
recedes, picking up the sand-worms, shrimps, and
tiny mollusks washed from the deep. In autumn
it may be seen in flocks, but early in spring
these have all disbanded, and the birds are in
pairs. Yet even in the breeding season it is still
very sociably inclined, and all the birds breeding
on one stretch of sand may frequently be seen
feeding in company. The Ringed Plover, like
most shore-birds, breeds late, and its eggs are
not laid before the end of May or early in June.
These are generally deposited in a hollow in the
fine sand, not amongst the shingle. Nest there
is none, and even the hollow is often dispensed
with. The eggs are four in number, creamy buff
in ground colour, minutely spotted with blackish
brown and gray. These eggs are only found by
much patient, systematic search, as they so closely
resemble the sand on which they lie, and the old
birds seldom or never contribute to their dis-
covery. The young chicks are also very difficult
to see, and possess the habit of crouching close
among the rougher shingle when danger threatens
coasts of them. The KENTISH PLOVER (/E. cantiamis) here
Sussex deserves passing notice. It is a migratory bird,

Channel .. .r & 11 • • r- i T

islands. arriving in April and leaving in September. Its
habits and nesting economy are very similar to
those of the preceding species. The eggs, how-
ever, are smaller, darker, and more streaky than
those of the Ringed Plover. The Kentish Plover

BY SANDY SHORES. 233

is distinguished by having the black collar only
represented by a patch on each side of the breast,
and by having the back of the head and the nape
buff. Both these birds soar and trill during the
love season.

Wherever the sandy shore is relieved by
patches of shingle and broken, rocky ground,
we may count upon finding another very cha-
racteristic bird of the coast, the OYSTERCATCHER coasts of
(Htzmatopus ostralegus). Its black and white Scotland?
plumage, long, bright orange bill, and pink legs Yorks and
distinguish it from all other sea-fowl ; and its
loud piercing whistle of heep-heep-heep, uttered
most frequently during flight, also serves to
identify this species when closer scrutiny is pre-
vented. The Oystercatcher may often be flushed
from the quiet bays and creeks, especially where
a rocky beach is exposed at low water. It is
very rare on all our southern English coasts
during the breeding season, but in winter is
more widely dispersed, many of the more northern
haunts being deserted at that time. Here the
pretty bird may be watched running along the
sandy patches, up and down the shingle, and
over the big wet stones, searching for the mussels
and limpets, sand - worms and crustaceans, on
which it feeds. Although so intent on feeding,
it is ever wary, and dashes off long before we
are near enough to work it harm — off across
the bay in one long, rapid flight, or round the
distant point to more secluded quarters lower
down the coast. Sometimes, especially in autumn,
parties of these birds may be seen, but in spring
and summer it is usually met with in pairs.
The Oystercatcher commences family duties in

234 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

May, and its nest must generally be sought for
on the shingly beaches. A favourite situation
is just above the line of drift in some quiet
bay, amongst the pebbles and coarse sand ; the
rougher the shingle, the better the bird seems
to like the place. No nest, in the strict sense
of the term, is made beyond a hollow in the
sand and pebbles, which is often lined with bits
of broken shells, and very rarely a scrap or
two of seaweed may be arranged round the
rim. What is rather remarkable is the fact of
several of these " nests " often being made close

to the one containing the eggs. Three eggs

11 1 «j r •

are generally laid, sometimes lour, sometimes

only two. They are buff in ground colour,
spotted and streaked with dark blackish brown
and pale gray. No birds are more wary during
the nesting period ; and long before the beach
which contains their nest is reached, both male
and female are flying about, uttering their shrill
pipe of alarm. The eggs are difficult enough
to find, as they so closely resemble the ground
in colour.

widely The remarkably handsome SHELDRAKE (Ta-

Rarer in6 " doma cornuta) is another bird to be met with
summer. amongst the sand dunes of the coast. The Shel-
drake is one of the shyest and wariest birds upon
the coast, taking wing long before the observer
is able to approach it closely, or see much of its
ways without the help of a glass. The flight of
this bird is very different from that of most
Ducks. Those birds progress with rapid move-
ments of the wings (except when they glide on
stiff and opened pinions from the air down to
the water) ; but the Sheldrake flies along with

BY SANDY SHORES. 235

slow and measured beats, more like a Heron.
The Sheldrake breeds either on the mainland,
among the sand dunes or links, or on a low
sandy islet not far from the coast. Owing to
its skulking habits during the season of repro-
duction it is often overlooked, and the method
of its nesting also lessens the chance of discovery.
The breeding season begins in May, and there
can be little doubt that the bird pairs for life.
The most interesting fact connected with the
nidification of this species is that it makes its
nest in a hole — a rabbit burrow being the usual
receptacle for its eggs, although occasionally it
makes a burrow for itself. At the end of this
often winding tunnel, even as much as six or
eight feet from the entrance, a slight nest of
dry grass is formed, which, as egg after egg is
laid, is warmly lined with the beautiful gray
down from the parent's body. From six to
twelve eggs are laid, creamy white in colour.
Both birds are rarely seen near the nest together,
except when one relieves the other in the task of
incubation — an interesting circumstance, by the
way, for the rule amongst this family of birds is
for the drake to take no share in domestic duties.
The Sheldrakes show their affinity with the
Geese in this respect. During the breeding
season, Sheldrakes often utter a tremulous or
chirping note quickly repeated. The ducklings
are taken to the sea by their parents soon after
they are hatched ; and here they are very active,
especially on the wet sands, where they search
for sand-hoppers, catching them every bit as
adroitly as the old birds. Insects, crustaceans,
worms, small fish, and the stems and leaves of

236 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES

water plants and grass compose the food of the
adult birds.

No less than four species of Terns breed upon
the sandy coasts or the stretches of shingle on
the rocky islands. Of these the smallest is the
widely but LESSER TERN (Sterna minuta). This beautiful
SibS little bird is nowhere very common, and I regret
to say is fast becoming rarer. This is probably
because it elects to breed on the mainland rather
than on islands, where it is at the mercy of every
wandering excursionist. It is among the latest
of our migrants, seldom appearing at its breeding-
stations before the second week in May. It
spends most of its waking hours upon the wing,
hawking up and down the shore and over the sea
in slow, uncertain flight, dropping every now and
then into the water to catch a small fish. Some-
times it may be seen walking about the sand and
shingle close to the edge of the waves, searching
for sand-lice, crustaceans, and insects. About a
month after its arrival nesting duties are com-
menced. Its favourite breeding-places are on the
stretches of shingle rather than the sands. Here,
among the pebbles, broken shells, and drifted
bits of seaweed and other shore ctibris, the three
or four eggs are laid, generally without any
semblance to a nest whatever, although in some
cases a little hollow is either formed by the
mother bird herself or selected ready for the
purpose. The eggs vary from buff to grayish
brown in ground colour, spotted and blotched
with various shades of brown and gray ; the much
larger markings and rounder form prevent them
from being confused with the eggs of the Ringed
Plover, both birds often nesting within a short

BY SANDY SHORES. 237

distance of each other. It will, however, be
remarked that the Tern nests on the rough
shingle, the Plover on the fine sand. When
their breeding - grounds are invaded by man,
the Terns hover above our heads, and keep up
a chorus of shrill cries which sound like rrick ;
and this circumstance will often reveal the pre-
sence of a breeding-station which might otherwise
have been passed unnoted. Shortly after the
young can fly, the birds begin to draw south-
wards, proceeding leisurely on their way to the
warmer seas round Africa, where they spend the
winter. The small size (length under nine
inches) readily distinguishes this Tern from all
its congeners.

The same evil fortune has befallen the hand-
some SANDWICH TERN (S. cantiaca) as has over- widely but
taken its small ally, and it has been banished from S
many a stretch of coast where in past years it
used to breed in abundance. The most im-
portant colony of these birds in the British
Islands is located on the famous Feme Islands.
Here, it is pleasing to record, the bird is now
protected from the extermination which threatened
it by the wholesale plunder of its eggs, and it
bids fair to become as numerous as it was wont
to be. The Sandwich Tern comes back to its
summer haunts here at the end of April, although
the breeding season is not in full swing before
June. This bird is a most gregarious one, and
the nests in some parts of the islands where it
breeds are so close together that one can scarcely
walk amongst them without treading on the eggs.
Sometimes the nest colony is formed on the
rough shingle near the sea, at others more distant

238 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

from the water's edge, on the rising shingle-
covered ground of the island. Many nests, how-
ever, are dotted here and there amongst the
coarse grass and campion. The Sandwich Tern
makes a poor, untidy nest, a few bits of withered
herbage strewn at the bottom of a little hollow
being the usual receptacle for the eggs. It will
also be remarked that the nests are most elabo-
rate when made amongst the herbage, and when
on the bare shingle a mere depression in the
beach is all the provision that is made. The
eggs (two or three in number) are remarkably
beautiful objects, varying in ground colour from
white to buff, spotted, clouded, and blotched with
rich dark brown, paler brown, and gray. Some-
times an exceptionally high tide swamps the
colony of nests, and then the birds usually lay
again, but otherwise only one clutch is deposited.
As soon as the young become strong on the wing
the southern flight leisurely begins. The note of
this bird is a harsh krrick. The food of the
Sandwich Tern is composed chiefly of fish, which
are caught by the birds plunging down upon
them ; crustaceans, sand-lice, and beetles are
also eaten, especially by the nestlings.

Two other species of these elegant birds
remain to be mentioned, and they are by far

widely the most widely dispersed, the COMMON TERN
(S. hirundo\ more especially on our southern

widely coasts ; the ARCTIC TERN (S. arcticd) being
most abundant in the northern districts. Both
birds are very much alike, but of the two the
Common Tern is a trifle the shortest tailed, and
has nearly white underparts, those of the Arctic
Tern being gray. In their habits there is little

BY SANDY SHORES. 239

difference to be noted. Both display the same
•easy, erratic, buoyant movements in the air ; both
utter a sharp crrick-mg note, especially at the nest-
ing-places. Both feed on small fish, crustaceans,
and insects, the former of which they catch by
pouncing down from the air, just like a Gannet
or a Kingfisher ; both are gregarious, especially
in their domestic arrangements. Both show a
decided preference for an island on which to
nest, rather than the shore of the mainland ;
and both are migratory, arriving in April and
leaving slowly in autumn, when the duties of
the year are over. There are few prettier sights
along the sandy coasts than a flock of Terns
fishing close inshore, mayhap in some quiet
bay or sea-loch, especially if we chance by good
fortune to watch them from an eminence. How
erratic is their buoyant flight, how small their
bodies in comparison with the long, narrow
wings, how brightly their plumage glistens in
the sun ! They hover in a fluttering throng
above the shoal of fry, first one bird dropping
down like a white stone, then another, and
another, the splash being distinctly heard from
shore, and with a fluttering movement again
rise into the air. Down and up they go as long
as we are permitted to observe them, for they
follow the shoal persistently, and if the fry move
fast the birds are soon lost to view. Both these
Terns breed in June. The Common Tern usually
makes a slight nest among the herbage or on
the shingle, preferring a site on higher ground
a little distance from the water ; but the Arctic
Tern rarely or never makes the slightest of nests,
and elects to lay its eggs upon the shingle and

24o THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

coarse sand close to the sea. Such, at least,
is my unvaried experience of the nesting habits
of each species. Both Terns lay two or three
eggs, and never rear more than one brood in
the season, although, if their eggs are taken or
destroyed, they will usually be replaced. The
eggs of the Common Tern are buff or grayish
brown in ground colour, spotted and blotched
with various shades of darker brown and gray.
Those of the Arctic Tern are more inclined to
an olive-tinted ground colour, are smaller and
more elongated. The eggs are not sat upon
much in the daytime during bright, hot weather,
the sun helping considerably to incubate them.
When their colony is invaded the birds assemble
in the air in one vast fluttering throng, chattering
in excitement, and swooping round the intruder
until their domain is left in peace. I might just
remark that both these birds in many northern
stations breed close together, and at the Femes
the Sandwich Tern as well nests in close
proximity.

And now with a brief glimpse at the Petrels
breeding on the downy summits along the coast,
we will bring our list of breeding species to a
close. These birds are rarely seen on land, and'
without some experience of their whereabouts
their nests are easily overlooked. Indeed we
might spend days upon the breezy sea-downs sur-
rounded by Petrels and yet never dream of their
presence, let alone the actual whereabouts of their
nests. Close observation, and wide knowledge of
the birds to be met with at sea off the coast, are
the only guides to success. One other fact-
deserves mention. Petrels are birds that love

BY SANDY SHORES. 241

the open ocean, that like a wide free flight,
and are consequently not known to breed on
any of the eastern coasts of England and Scot-
land. Islands and coast lines facing the open
Atlantic are therefore the great strongholds of
these birds, although a close scrutiny of suitable
portions of the extreme south-western coasts of
England may yet result in important discoveries
of breeding Petrels.

One of the commonest and most wide-spread
species is the MANX SHEARWATER (P^t,ffinus widely
anglorum). We need not dwell upon the habits dl:
of any of these birds, for they can scarcely be
classed as coming within the scope of a ramble
along the shore. He who would study the ways
and movements of the Petrels must seek these
birds at sea, far from land, where they live
among the heaving billows, obtaining their food
from the ocean, and rarely visiting the shore
except to reproduce their species. The Manx
Shearwater makes a long, often winding burrow
in the loamy soil at the summit of the grassy
cliffs, or in the banks that slope down to the
sea. At the end of this hole a slight nest of
dry grass is formed, on which the female lays her
single white egg. At the entrance of the hole
a heap of droppings is almost invariably to be
seen. The sitting bird allows itself to be taken
without making any great attempt to escape,
remaining brooding over its egg until removed
by the hand. The note of this bird may be
expressed as kity-coo-roo. The general colour
of the upper parts of the Manx Shearwater is
black, the underparts white.

•> o -r> Widely

Our next species is the STORMY PETREL distributed.

242 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

(Procellaria pelagicd], remarkable for being the
smallest web-footed bird known to science. Its
breeding season is in June ; and like the pre-
ceding bird it makes a nest at the end of some
old Puffin's or rabbit's burrow, under stones or
amongst the crevices of ruins near the sea. The
nest is slight enough, only a scrap or two of dry
grass, upon which one egg is deposited, white,
and rough in texture, sprinkled with tiny red
specks, usually in the form of a zone round the
st. Kiida larger end. The much more local FORK- TAILED
Rona.we.st PETREL (P. leachi\ closely resembles the pre-

of Scotland. ,. v /'..'.'* t . •, r.

ceding species, only it is nearly twice the size,
and has a deeply forked tail, that of the Stormy
Petrel being nearly square. Both these birds are
nearly uniform brownish black in colour, except the
upper tail coverts which are white. The most
important breeding-place of this bird is at St.
Kilda. Here it makes its nest at the end of a
disused Puffin's or Shearwater's burrow — a simple
affair, composed of a few bits of dry grass,
moss, or even lichen from the surrounding rocks
— and the single egg is precisely similar to that
of the Stormy Petrel, only proportionately larger
in size. All these Petrels are more or less
gregarious during the breeding season, and num-
bers of nests may be found within a very small
area.

Undoubtedly the low-lying coasts — the sandy
beaches and the muddy shores, become the most
interesting with the approach of autumn. These
places are the great highways of migration, the
grand winter resort of those birds that summer in
the Arctic regions. Here, between the months

BY SANDY SHORES. 243

of September and March, these shores are
crowded with feathered refugees from the northern
snows and ice. Then, indeed, do our rambles
on them assume increased interest. Say at
migration time in autumn — in October and the
first week in November — when we may meet
with stranger birds at almost every step, and
listen to their wild cries and sweeter call-notes,
by day and by night, sounding clearly from the
sky. Of course, during migration time the
eastern coasts of the British Islands are thronged
the most ; swarming with migrants from over the
wild North Sea, from Scandinavia, from Den-
mark, from the tundras of Northern Russia — even
from remote and sterile Spitzbergen and Nova
Zembla. For most of the birds that travel down
coast in autumn are gathered within the narrowing
North Sea, from the Orkneys to Dover, as in a
funnel, pressing on to our eastern sea-board in
countless multitudes. Here on the cold October
mornings we may see flocks of tiny GOLDCRESTS
from across the sea ; migratory SHORT-EARED
OWLS, just touched land after flying all night over
the waste of waters ; and here and there among
the long, dry grass on the sea-banks, tired-out
WOODCOCKS rise on unwilling wing, loth to leave
the warm shelter where they are dozing after
their long, dark flight. None of these birds will
remain long upon the coast — they are all bound
for more inland haunts. Then flock after flock
of SKYLARKS pass along ; indeed, some days from
morn to night, and from night to morning again,
the air is filled with a constant straggling stream
of Larks, now in mighty hosts, anon in scattered

244 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

flocks — yet all flying one course, bound for the
English fields. Here on our eastern coasts we
may be sure of meeting with the Hooded Crow,
from the middle of October onwards to the spring.
Sometimes the air for days is filled with these
birds migrating into our islands ; and here, on the
coast, many of them live all through the winter,
picking their food from the muds and from the
fields adjoining the sea. They are remarkably
gregarious, and in many of their habits and move-
ments resemble Rooks. They feed on the newly
sown grain, and may be seen in the pastures with
Starlings and Rooks, or on the turnip fields and
stubbles with Doves. They frequent the coast
just as much as the fields, feeding on sand-worms,
cockles, and any garbage that may be washed
ashore.

Then come the REDWINGS and the FIELD-
FARES, the BRAMBLINGS and the SNOW BUNTINGS
— by day and by night, filling the air with their
well-remembered notes, and all hastening on and
on, across earth and sea, to the spots where it is
their custom to live during the months of their
banishment from home. Perhaps a more dis-
tinguished stranger will pass along — a GRAY
SHRIKE, a LITTLE GULL, a few SHORE LARKS,
or a gipsy LAPLAND BUNTING.

Then the birds whose summer haunts we have
already visited, whose nests we have already seen,
come down from inland haunts to spend the winter
on these sandy shores. There we may meet
with the CURLEW, shyer far than we found him
on the moors in summer ; with the sprightly
REDSHANK, with the DUNLINS, in their gray and
white winter dress, now congregated into enormous

BY SANDY SHORES. 245

flocks, their silvery wings gleaming and sparkling
in the sunshine, as the little creatures manoeuvre
above the muds ; with the GOLDEN PLOVER, all
trace of his black belly gone, conspicuous now in
white and shining under plumage, although he
still retains the brazen spots of his wedding days.
Here are all our little friends of the hills ; yet,
stay, not all, for the DOTTERELS are gone to
Africa, the PHALAROPES have taken their southern
flight away. But with autumn's advent many
stranger birds appear upon the coast — birds that
do not breed with us. With a brief notice of
the most prominent species and those of most
regular appearance, we will bring our ramble to
a close.

One of the most remarkable of these birds
is the KNOT (Tringa canutus], a species whose
breeding-place is in the highest latitudes of known
land. The young birds begin to arrive on our
coasts as early as the first week in August, but
the great flocks, including the old birds, appear
during September and October. The Knot in
its winter plumage has most of the upper parts
grayish brown, and the underparts nearly
uniform pure white. On our coasts the Knot
is eminently gregarious ; and in flocks it may
be seen running about the muds and sands,
searching for the worms, crustaceans, and small
mollusks that compose its winter fare. Some-
times mingled with the Knots and Dunlins, we
may come across one or two CURLEW SAND-
PIPERS (T. sitbarquata). In colour it is much
like the Knot, only the rump as well as the
underparts is pure white ; and the bird is much
the smaller, being about the size of a Dunlin.

246 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

Upon the same shores we may also find
the TURNSTONE (Strepsilas interpres\ especially
during the spring and autumn migration, when it
passes along our coasts on its way to and from its
Arctic breeding-grounds. Another pretty bird
in gray and white plumage like the Knot, only
smaller, and with a short black bill, is the
SANDERLING (Calidris arenaria). It is a gentle,,
trustful little creature, fond of sandy beaches,
where it may be found all the winter through,
though most abundant during passage. All these
birds are of very similar habits and movements,
running nimbly about the shore, ever searching
its wet surface for the creatures on which they
feed. Then along the more rocky coasts — places
where the beach is rough at low water — and the
shingly strands, we may occasionally come across
the PURPLE SANDPIPER (Tringa maritima), re-
markable for its dark, purplish plumage and white
innermost secondaries. It loves to frequent the
rocks over which the waves are breaking, catch-
ing the tiny creatures left stranded by the in-
coming sea ; and during its search for food keeps
close to the very edge of the water, running over
the wet, slimy rocks with remarkable agility and
grace. Then we have the BAR-TAILED GODWIT
(Limosa rufa) passing along the coast in spring
and autumn, especially the latter season, but a
few remain during winter too. It is readily
identified by its long recurved beak and nearly
uniform ash-coloured tail in winter ; the latter is
barred in summer plumage. Then there is the
WHIMBREL (Numenius phceopus), a bird like the
Curlew, only smaller, with the crown of the head
brown, crossed with a white mesial line, and

BY SANDY SHORES. 247

bordered on either side by a white eyestripe. It
is another bird of regular spring and autumn
passage, a few even remaining behind to breed in
the Orkneys and the Shetlands, and a few remain-
ing to winter on our southern coasts. The nest-
ing economy of the Whimbrel is very similar to
that of the Curlew, only the eggs are much
smaller, but the same in general colouration.
Vast numbers of GRAY PLOVERS (Charadrius
helveticus) also pass along here, coming from the
tundras of northern Europe, and a few remain to
winter. They are very similar to the Golden
Plover, only want the yellow spots on the upper
parts which so characterise that species.

We can only give a passing glance at the
great flights of northern Ducks and Geese and
Swans that find winter haunts on and off these
sandy coasts and mud-flats ; of the flocks of
SCAUPS (Fuligula marila) and TUFTED DUCKS
(F. cristata) ; the packs of BRENT GEESE (Anser
brenta) and BERNACLE GEESE (A. leucopsis) ; of
GRAY LAGS (A. cinereus) ; PINK-FOOTED GEESE
(A. brachyrhynchus) and BEAN GEESE (A. segetmn)\
truly interesting company for him who wanders
along the shore, or punts across the shallow seas
and estuaries during the autumn and winter
months. We must not forget to allude to the
HOOPER SWAN (Cygnus musicus), or its smaller
ally, BEWICK'S SWAN (C. bewicki), or to the three
species of British Diver which may also be met
with in the seas off these coasts during winter ;
but these birds are rarely, if ever, seen upon the
shore. We might also dwell more fully on the
grand exodus back again to the great lone northern
lands of all these species, most of them in

248

THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES.

wedding dress, but our space forbids and we must
reluctantly refrain from doing so.

SPECIES.

RESIDENT OR MIGRANT.

CALL OR ALARM
NOTE.

PREVAILING COLOURS.

Ringed Plover

Resident

Harsh trr; alarm,

Grayish brown above,

too -it

white below, head and

neck black and white

Kentish Plover

April to September

Shrill o>/«Y; alarm,

Similar to preceding,

tirrr

but paler, back of head

and the nape buff,

black collar only indi-

cated by patch on each

side of neck

Oystercatcher .

Resident

Shrill heep-heep-

Black above, white be-

heep

low; wing-bar, rump,

and basal portion of

tail white

Sheldrake . .

Resident

Harsh qnack ;

Black, white, and chest-

alarm note, deep

nut

kor, kor

Lesser Tern .

May to September

Shrill rrick

Black cap, French gray

above, white below ;

length 8*4 inches

Sandwich Tern

April to September

Harsh krrick

Black cap, French gray

and October

above (upper tail co-

verts and tail white),

white below; length

15 inches

Common Tern

April to September

Sharp krrick

Black cap, French gray

and October

above, white below ;

length 14 inches

Arctic Tern .

April to September
and October

Sharp krrick

Black cap, French gray
above, paler gray be-

low ; length 1 5 inches-

Manx Shear-

Resident, but rare-

Loud kitty -coo- roo

Black above, white

water . . .

ly on land except

below

in breeding season

Stormy Petrel .

Resident, but rare-

Plaintive weet at

Black above, sooty

ly on land except

nesting-place

brown below, sides of

in breeding season

rump and greater por-

tion of upper tail co-

verts white; tail nearly

square

Fork- tailed

Resident, but rare-

Shrill chirp

Black and gray above,

Petrel . .

ly on land except

sooty brown below,

in breeding season

sides of rump and

greater portion of

upper tail coverts

white ; tail forked

BY SANDY SHORES.

249

SPECIES.

RESIDENT OR MIGRANT.

CALL OR ALARM
NOTE.

PREVAILING COLOURS.

Knot . . .

August and Sep-

Whistling cry

Rich chestnut, streaked

tember to May

and barred with black

on upper parts (sum-

mer) ; grayish brown

above, white below

(winter)

Curlew Sand-

On passage April,

Shrill weet

Similar to preceding

piper . . .

May, August,

September, and

October

Turnstone . .

On passage chiefly ;

Shrill keet, or

Strongly contrasted

July to October,

double note,

black, black shot with

April and May.

kitter-keet

green,white, chestnut,

Few remain to

and brown ;underparts

winter

below breast white.

Conspicuous white

wing-bar

Sanderling .

On passage chiefly ; Shrill wick

Black and chestnut

July to October, !

above, below breast

April and May.

white (summer) ; gray

Few remain to

above, white below

winter

(winter) ; white wing-

bar

Purple Sand-

September and

Clear weef

Brown and chestnut

piper . . .

October to May

above, below breast

white(summer); brown

glossed with purple

above, grayish brown

below (winter) ; white

wing-bar

Bar-tailed God-

On passage ch'efly i Shrill kya

Brown and chestnut

wit . . .

April and May,

above, rich chestnut

August toNovem-

below, tail barred

ber. Few remain

(summer) ; grayish

to winter

brown above, white

below, tail ash-gray

(winter)

Whimbrel . .

On passage chiefly

Shrill cur-tec;

Brown of various shades

May, August,

alarm - note,

above, white spotted

September, and

shriller double

with brown below,

October

note

rump white, tail barred

Gray Plover .

Chiefly autumn

Shrill £/-££; alarm -

White barred with black

passage, August

note, kbp

and brown above,

to November.

black below (sum-

May and June

mer) ; brown barred

less commonly.

with white above,

white below (winter)

THE END.

CHARLES DICKENS AND EVAN*, CRYSTAL 1'ALACE I'KESS.

WORKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR.

ANNALS OF BIRD LIFE:

A Year-Book of British Ornithology.
Crown 8vo, 7s. 6d.

" A lover of birds could not do better than consult its pages whenever
he wishes for information."— Gardeners' Chronicle.

" There is a great deal of curious bird-lore in this well-written book,
and the author is an enthusiast who scouts the idea that birds lead what
he terms a ' prosaic, automatic ' existence ; and it is amusing to find him
claiming ' high mental qualities ' for his feathered friends. There is a good
index in the volume, and a calendar for each of the seasons, which shows
when the birds arrive, build their nests, and take their departure. "-
Speaker.

" Brightly written, and full of information." — Academy.

IDLE HOURS WITH NATURE.

Crown 8vo, 6s.

"He [Mr. Dixon] is one of the busiest and best observers of Nature
since White of Selborne wrote." — Black and White.

"It is of the birds that Mr. Dixon best loves lo write, and of these
he has always something fresh and bright to say."— Globe.

"One of the pleasantest of Mr. Dixon's many volumes on wild life."
— A nti-Ja cabin .

" Eminently a book to be enjoyed." — Graphic.

"Has much that is fresh to tell us of the ways and habits of birds,
and it is all told in a very charming way." — Guardian.

" These essays are very different from the ordinary trite writing on
British rural life." — Academy.

"Mr. Dixon gives his experiences with a freshness and zest which
contribute in no small degree to the pleasure with which his book will be
read." — Morning Post.

Hontron :

CHAPMAN AND HALL, LIMITED.

Bl