. The story of hedgerow and pond . Hedgerow Life abundant store, there are now only afew remaining. The field-mice, in their ruddy coats,have had their share, as we have seen ;and the dormice also, before they putthemselves to bed for the winter. Nowthe missel - thrush, the blackbird, andsong-thrush resort to the hedges insearch of them, especially when the frostbinds the earth with its icy hands, andmakes it impossible for them to obtainany ground food ; or when the snow fallsdeep and soft, burying the whole face ofnature in its white mantle. Then, too,the wandering fieldfares and the redwing
. The story of hedgerow and pond . Hedgerow Life abundant store, there are now only afew remaining. The field-mice, in their ruddy coats,have had their share, as we have seen ;and the dormice also, before they putthemselves to bed for the winter. Nowthe missel - thrush, the blackbird, andsong-thrush resort to the hedges insearch of them, especially when the frostbinds the earth with its icy hands, andmakes it impossible for them to obtainany ground food ; or when the snow fallsdeep and soft, burying the whole face ofnature in its white mantle. Then, too,the wandering fieldfares and the redwingsflock to the hedges and hedgeside treesand bushes after the berries. They areforeigners, forced away from their homein Scandinavian forests by the harshnessof the winter, which would deprive them16 /i ■ . • -1^^:,^^. ■Jf Hedgerow Life of their daily food. Yearly they crossthe North Sea, in chattering flocks, insearch of the abundance of Englishhedgeside fruits and berries. Not untilthe spring has well advanced do thesestrangers venture to return to the in-hospitable country which has given thembirth. And while this mantle of snow hidesthe familiar landscape with a strangenew loveliness which we can hardlyrecognize, we can see fresh beautieseverywhere. The commonest objectsare changed into specimens of fairyworkmanship, as the delicate structureof blade and twig and leaf is encrustedwith hoar frost, like fairy diamonds. The snow will give us a good ideaof the abundance of life. On its smoothsurface every footstep, however light, c 17 •*IM| Hedgerow Life leaves a print behind which we can readif up betimes, before the wind has sweptaway the loose, feathery particles, or thesudden thaw and drip from overheadbranches have destroyed all trace of thetrack. The birdsthat hop, like blackbirdsand thrus
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectwat
