Part 4

Haunts of a naturalist--Why certain animals are unmolested--Means of security--Fear of dogs and men--A place of interest--The "nocturnal" instinct--Droll revelry--Serious pastimes--Teaching by reward and punishment--Animals study the disposition of their young--Voices of the wilderness 293-309

II.

HOME DISCIPLINE.

Unwelcome attentions--An old badger's watchfulness--A clever trick--A presumptuous youngster--Instructions in selfishness--Harsh measures--The badger and the stoat--A long ramble 310-324

III.

FEAR OF THE TRAP.

Wisdom in Nature's ways--The laggard of the family--A salutary lesson--Hand-scent and foot-scent--An old Welsh law--The lesson of a "double" scent--The sorrel as medicine--A wild bees' nest--"In grease" 325-339

IV.

THE WINTER "OVEN."

The vixen and the hounds--The wounded rabbit--Old inhabitants of the wood--In touch with enemies--Twilight romps--Brock's quarrel with his sire--A bone of contention--Prompt chastisement--A mournful chorus--Wild fancies of a bachelor--A big battle--The terror of the flock--Unwarranted suspicion--Caught in the act 340-356

HILLSIDE TRAILS.

The backward "drag"--Loyalty tested--A spiteful spouse--Spring cleaning--Carrying litter to the "set"--A numerous family--An eviction--Vulpicide--Important news--Old traditions of sport revived--A long day's toil--The secret history of a "draw"--An old burrow 357-373

THE HEDGEHOG.

A VAGABOND HUNTER.

The nest in the "trash"--Quaint wildlings--Neighbours and enemies--A feast--Spines and talons--The gipsy boy--A vagabond's sport--The nest in the wild bees' ruined home--Insects killed by frost--Winter quarters of the lizard and the snail 377-391

II.

AN EXPERIENCE IN SNAKE-KILLING.

An iron winter--March awakening--A coat of autumn leaves--The Rip Van Winkle of the woods--Sunshine and strength--Faulty eyesight--The hedgehog and the viper--Worsting an enemy--The moorhen's nest--Antics of weasels and snakes--The hedgehog's bleat--Odd and awkward courtship 392-406

NIGHT IN THE WOODS.

HAUNTS OF THE BADGER AND THE FOX.

Wild life at night--Long watching--A "set" with numerous inhabitants--The vixen and her cubs--Tolerant badgers--Vigilance--A moorland episode--"Chalking the mark"--Fox-signs--A habit of voles and rabbits--Patience, in vain--Sulky badgers--The vixen's lair--Foxes at play 407-426

II.

THE CRAG OF VORTIGERN.

Difficulties of night watching--Powers of observation in wild creatures--Night wanderers dislike rain--Eager helpers--A tempting invitation--Cry of young owls--Philip, the silent watcher--The fern-owl's rattle--The leaping places of the hare--Night gossip--The meaning of the white and black markings on a badger's head--The secrets of the cave 427-443

INDEX 445-448

FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS

From Drawings by

Florence H. Laverock.