COUNTRY LIFE
Revived Animals
Welcome news multiplies of the revival of more than one British animal that was at one time almost extinct ; the wild cat, the marten and the polecat ; and the first two, it was once feared, seemed quite extinct. My own experience does not quite coincide with that of Miss Pitt, who has summed up the good news very agreeably and fully in a recent book, Wild Animals in Britain (Batsford, 8s. 6d.). She gives Cardiganshire as the hub of the revival of the polecat. Its reappearance was not less sudden and surprising in Merioneth and there- abouts, for example in the hinterland of Aberdovey, the red or erythistic variety was much in evidence. It is suggested that the Forestry Commission are in some measure to be credited with this revival ; their forests have given the polecat the sort of hiding that it needs and desires. Is this so ? A contrary effect of afforestation was experienced in East Anglia. As soon as the firs were planted, the surrounding territory was invaded by unheard of numbers of stoats. The inference was not that afforestation had proved congenial to such vermin ; but that the destruction of rabbits within the wired plantations had threatened most vermin with starvation, and they had therefore migrated to richer hunting-grounds. Polecats may have been similarly influenced, and they happen (so far as my experience goes) to be particularly fond of the stone wall ai a lair ; and stone walls are not found within the forests. However, the Commission have been such ruthless enemies of squirrels and some rarer birds that it would be pleasant to give them the credit of granting the polecat a new lease of life.
A Popular Poison A new use has been found for that subtle and discriminating fish-poison, known as derris. It is as bad for the earthworm as the fish or the raspberry weevil. It is, in general, true that " they love not poison who do poison need " ; but this species is not without interest both botanically and his- torically. The Chinese have used the powdered root for centuries, I believe, as a substance that at once poisons fish but does no harm whatever to the people who eat the fish. It is wise to take some precautions in using it, but it may be described as harmless to mammals, including man. The secret was brought to England ninety years ago ; but it was more effectively rediscovered quite recently. Professor Durham, one of the most distinguished members of the heroic Ross expedition, saw the Chinese using it in the rivers ; and being biologist; botanist and chemist, did a deal of scientific work in the investigation of its properties and the method of it use. Since then it has become one of the most valuable of poisons for a number of deleterious insects. It has taken its place alongside, say, pyrethrum and other such vegetable poisons. The idea of using it for the destruction of worms occurred recently to a member of that ingenious body of research workers who are known as the Green Research Com- mittee. The worm, which is in general an invaluable aid to fertility, is detested on lawn and green. In several respects what is meat to the farmer is poison to the greenkeeper, who hates lime, for example, encourages a sour soil, and destroys worms. The work is not complete, but the potency of derris has been proved. A valuable comparison of the various poisons appears in the Journal of the Board of Green-keeping Research (Bingley, Yorkshire), which usually has some dis- covery or, it may be, invention to report. Their latest is timely, for it has seldom happened that worms were quite so active As they have been this autumn. The best lawns have been composed of muddy hummocks.
* * * Flower Decoration The cult of buds is new in its present form and extent. Is the cult of plucked flowers or flowers as a decoration for rooms ? The query was put to me by an historical novelist of fame. One thinks first of the evidence supplied by Dutch painters, but on search it was surprising to find in how many pictures where great bunches of flowers could have been expected were entirely unadorned. The first introduction appeared to be that single flowers, but seldom if ever massed flowers, were used for decoration. The word " bouquet " is -a modern introduction from France and " nosegay " first appears in literature towards the end of the eighteenth century.
Perhaps the latest form of botanical decoration to be popularised is the use of shoots of certain autumnal leaves through the winter. The discovery that beech boughs dipped in glycerine will keep their leaves and colour indefinitely was a really valuable addition to the decorative use. Perhaps if there is anything new in the use of leaves and flowers within the house it is that today we like longer stalks and stems.
* * * New Roosts Is it an increasing habit in our garden tits to sleep as well as build in nesting boxes ? Blue tits have been regularly retiring at night to a nesting box in my neighbourhood and they will doubtless keep up the habit. One sees where a great many birds roost ; but others seem to disappear altogether. One covey of partridges whose diurnal movements I have followed have just begun to " jug " in a patch of heather on a common ; and so far as I have been able• to test their movements this is usual. When autumn begins to savour of winter they desert the more naked fields and resort, if they can, to some place where the lying is warm, but the vision expoied. Perhaps more birds than we know of seek the ground on winter nights. Wagtails will even flock to desirable roosts in the grass and fieldfares hesitate between the bush and the ground. Old nests are used by all sorts of creatures, stoats, mice and bees among them ; but very rarely by the birds themselves. Wrens are an exception ; and in their case a number will pack themselves into a single nest. I have found a bat in a nesting box ; but the discovery of tits if not new is, I fancy, of uncommon occur- rence. One of the most original roosts has been used by the tree creepers : they find or make snug scoops in the soft springy bark of the sequoia or so-called Wellingtonia. It must make an ideal mattress as well as screen.
* * * * The Commonest Bird
• Which is the commonest bird in Britain ? I ask the question because a great naturalist who writes under the name of " Fishhawk " puts on an equality with sparrows and starlings two species that would perhaps receive few votes if the general public voted on the question. His 'lairds are the knot and the dunlin. There is, I think, a great gulf between those who usually watch birds inland and those whose arena is the coast, and this gulf is widened in winter. Seaside places in summer often seem to be rather barren of birds ; a few gulls, of course, are usually in evidence ; and you may be lucky enough to see a buzzard or a peregrine or raven ; and on the cliffs are often a multitude of jackdaws. There is, however, no more popular haunt for birds than any estuary, and its popularity is enhanced in winter. The observer, even if he is casual and untrained, will come upon immense congregations of waders and ducks and sea birds, and will certainly, if this estuary is at all to the north, put the dunlin, if not the knot, in the first place. There is a second question, often asked : is Britain more populous with birds in winter or summer ? The inland watcher will probably say in summer ; but the haunter of estuaries will even more certainly give his vote for winter. The flocks, the congrega- tions, the packs give a sense of multitude the scattered pairs can never give.
* * * * In the Garden We have reached a date when stems and trunks, as well as berries, become important, and the advantage of stems over berries is that the birds do not eat them. It is estimated by the maker of a beautiful shrub-garden of my acquaintance that its population of blackbirds rises to about 200 by the beginning of autumn. A white stem that I am fond of is berberis dictyophyllum, but it finds no place in a little list of eight plants with coloured stems made out by a specialist for the adornment of a bank. His list is as follows :
Rubus lasiostylus Cornus flaviramea Rubus giraldianus Cornus stolonifera Rubus biflorus Cornus spathi aurea Berberis virescens Cornus sibirica elegantissi;na
Of all plants that give colour in winter the common favourite senecio grayii is one of the standbys ; but the leaf of the more recumbent senecio rotund:folic: has perhaps a more pleasing if
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