. Woodland, field and shore : wild nature depicted with pen and camera . high in the air, and while one goes over the oak,the other returns and flits along the hedge, just settleson some red campion, and then floats over the wildroses. A short distance down stream a rustic bridgespans the banks, and there is evidence that a pair ofPied Wagtails have their nest there ; for again andagain one of the birds passes,—shooting, as it were,through the air with half-closed wings. Finches thatfly past have this same characteristic ; many willsettle, and their song-talk goes on in a never-ending strain.
. Woodland, field and shore : wild nature depicted with pen and camera . high in the air, and while one goes over the oak,the other returns and flits along the hedge, just settleson some red campion, and then floats over the wildroses. A short distance down stream a rustic bridgespans the banks, and there is evidence that a pair ofPied Wagtails have their nest there ; for again andagain one of the birds passes,—shooting, as it were,through the air with half-closed wings. Finches thatfly past have this same characteristic ; many willsettle, and their song-talk goes on in a never-ending strain. The Lark comes dow^n from the clouds and returnsto his mate and nest among the buttercups, but doesnot stay long ; again he rises, singing as sweetly as BUTTERCUP MEADOW 237 before. Missel-Thrushes have been repeatedly calling,and they now lead out their young to teach themhow to find food for themselves. The old birdsdiscover the food, then show it with their beaks, andthe youngsters run forward quickly and devour Carrion-Crow, which for long has been in the. VOrXG SOXG-THRrSH. old tree, now leaves his perch and enters the meadow Yonder, far away over the farmhouse, are tinyspecks darting about ; these are Martins, many oftheir nests being under the eaves. Great numbersof Sparrows also build in the ivy growing on the 238 WOODLAND, FIELD, AND SHORE walls. Martins are usually shy of places whereSparrows abound,—no doubt owing to the lattersfondness for their nests. Swallows build in the barnsbeyond, and they repeatedly fly to the lower meadow-land and return later with supplies for their snap of their beak can be heard when they catcha fly, and often an insect can be seen flying swiftlyin order to dodge its pursuer. Buttercup Meadow is full of tokens of love. Birdscaring for their young, others feeding their mates ,Wood-Pigeons notes, which themselves seem tospeak of love, ever and anon reach one from woodlandbowers. Finches songs are really love-talk ; so a
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectnatural, bookyear1901
