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"Ah, Mamma! you were a true prophet," said George; "you told us you thought we might find some treasure in our walk. I am sure this is a treasure. We did not think of finding pezizas so early."

"We will have a regular peziza-hunt in our favourite lane to-morrow," said Harry.

As they varied the walk in returning home, they passed through a turnip-field.

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Ah, see where the rabbits have been nibbling the turnips," said Arthur; whose quick eye observed everything as he passed. But Harry had his opinion to offer also.

"I do not see how a rabbit can make such a deep peaked hole as that,"-pointing to a turnip which looked as if it had been bored by a carpenter's drill. "I have heard the farmer say that the wood-pigeons eat his turnips. A bird is more likely to make such a hole with his bill, than a rabbit with his teeth."

"I think the farmer must be mistaken about the pigeons," said George; "It must be the rooks. The keeper told me one day, that he had often examined the crop of a wood-pigeon when he had shot one in the act of feeding. He never found any turnip in the crop, only small bits of tender green leaf. They do not even eat the heart of the leaf, so that they cannot injure the root. He told me that they have a great fancy for all sorts of turnip-greens, but especially for the green

leaves of Swede turnips, which they devour at a great rate."

"Bravo, George; thank you for defending my pretty wood-pigeons," exclaimed Emily.

Mrs. Leslie said she believed the keeper's report was correct, and she hoped that Emily's pets did not generally do much mischief in the turnipfields, unless when very hard driven by scarcity of food.

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A flock of Fieldfares next drew their attention. Mrs. Leslie was obliged to hasten their steps homeward, while she told them all she knew about the fieldfares. She said that they came to this country from the shores of the Baltic, late in the

autumn.

"When the beech, the oak, and the elm are fast losing their leaves, you may expect the fieldfares and their friends the Redwings. You see, the flock does not consist of one kind of bird alone.

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The others are redwings, or wind-thrushes. They always arrive a few days before the fieldfares, but join their company when they come. The fieldfare is also a kind of thrush; but unlike the redwings, and other birds of the thrush kind, they never roost on trees in this country, but on the ground. In the day-time they often perch on trees, but in the evenings they are seen nestling together on the ground, on heaths or other open places, while the redwings settle for the night on trees, and in hedges."

"How can people tell that some of the fieldfares do not roost with the redwings?" asked Arthur, "or some of the redwings settle on the earth with the fieldfares?"

"Because," answered Mrs. Leslie, "men and boys who drag the fields with nets at night to snare larks, often catch fieldfares too, but never redwings. On the other hand, fowlers who sweep the bushes with nets for birds, often take redwings in their nets, but never find a fieldfare."

"I suppose," said Harry, "the redwings say to the fieldfares, 'We will go up-stairs to bed, and you can sleep down-stairs.' But I should think the redwings were the wisest."

"There is not much comfort in a bare hedge, with the wind blowing through it; and they will be away before the leaves come, will they not, Mamma?"

"Yes, George; some years they linger longer, but generally March, or early in April, is considered the time of their departure. Some naturalists have fixed on the blooming of the snowdrop as a signal for the flight of the fieldfares. But it can only be a hint to prepare for their long journey. We sometimes have snowdrops in January; and the bloom usually lasts through February and March, according to the situation in which the plant grows. As for these fieldfares, when they do set out, they have a great deal of business on hand. They are said first to visit Syria. After staying awhile

there, and travelling to some other countries, they fly back to Norway, Sweden, and Lower Austria. In these countries they build their nests and rear their young, and in September the roving birds are again on the wing for this country. But here! we are at home, and you have scarcely time to prepare for dinner-we have been out so long.'

“And a capital walk we have had," said Harry.

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Yes, and enough to amuse us if it had been twice as long," said Arthur.

"Don't forget to come again to-morrow, Arthur," said George.

"No fear of my forgetting," said Arthur, laughing, as he ran off to his home.

THE FLIGHT OF THE FIELDFARES.

The snow-storms have pass'd from forests and fells,
Lone places are cheer'd by the snowdrop bells :
Their silvery chimes on the breezes ring,
To warn the world of the coming Spring.

The woods are awaken'd, and whispering tell
That the snowdrop has rung her silver bell;
The dormouse half rouses, but sleeps again
Ere he tastes of his hoarded nuts and grain.

The butterfly stirs her painted wing,
And feels the touch of the coming Spring:
The squirrel starts up at the warning note,
And says, "Ah! ah! I must brush my coat,

""Twill soon be my time to travel forth;"
But he hears the wind as it blows from the north,
So he rolls himself round with a sleepy sigh,
And thinks he must wait for a warmer sky.

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