NOTES—ORIGINAL AND SELECTED. 79
amongst the most racy and amusing narratives of the kind we
have ever read :—
" When Old Sol arose on the morning of the 2nd of May, he found myself,
my youngest son, and old 'Fino,' enjoying a substantial breakfast ; discussing
thereat the probable pleasures of a day which we had devoted, in our mind's eye,
to a merry ramble. It was agreed that my companion should look after water-
beetles, and that whilst he was so engaged, I should secure any other stray beetle
or butterfly, &c., &c., that might cross my path—'Fino' keeping order among
the rabbits. Well, our various instruments de chasse being ready, off we started,
about five o'clock a.m. Our route lay direct to the 'Seven Sisters, and thence to
the Tottenham Station, which we crossed ; and on to the Ferry House. It certainly
was a glorious morning, although there was a cool easterly wind stirring, and we
did not regret having put in practice an idea (which we at one moment enter-
tained) of going sans veste. Passing forwards, we reached Walthamstow, and
here the beams of the sun began to be felt. This refreshed us, and thus accom-
panied, a most lovely walk we had. Onward still further, and we came to the
Woodford Road, which runs through part of the Forest. Here it was decidedly
warm. Turning to our left, we followed up the road, meeting now and then a
brood of pretty little goslings, which seemed much to interest 'Fino,' but the old
fellow was desperately alarmed when the fond mother flew at him, with
outstretched neck and wings, hissing close to his very nose. He took all this,
however, as he generally does everything else, very good-temperedly, and after a
time, made tolerable friends with Mrs. Goose and her happy family.' He was
not so successful, however, with an old hen further on. She would listen to no
accommodation, and to avoid a row, 'Fino' made a bolt of it. In good time we
reached the turnpike, and in a few minutes more the 'Bald Face Stag' (an old
acquaintance of ours). We can indeed recollect the said 'Bald Face' for some
few years ! Here we were ushered into a room we knew full well ; and looking
at our watch, found it half-past seven o'clock. We rested near a good fire, just
half an hour—pour rafraichir la memoire—and having requested dinner to be
ready at half-past two, we started again, neither knowing nor caring which way
we went, so long as we kept within scent of the 'Bald Face Stag.' We now
struck off to the left, and 'Fino' soon spied some rabbits. Literally mad with
delight, nothing could stop him—off' he went like a greyhound. But it was all of
no use, the little rabbits only laughed at him, and this made him still more mad.
We rambled for some time, just where fancy or 'Fino' led—now in a swamp or
a bog, now fishing in little ponds searching under stones or the bark of trees,
&c., &c., until our hearts were gladdened by the sound of 'Cuckoo, Cuckoo !'
the first time we had heard it this year. It was just eleven o'clock. Suddenly,
a peculiar bark was heard from old 'Fino,' and looking round, we saw his tail
wagging at an unusually brisk rate. On nearing the spot we found him contem-
plating a snake some four feet long. At our approach it slipped into its hole, and
then, good-bye ! After this we broke into a singular field or rather opening in
the forest, where an aged bird-catcher was plying his vocation. 'Good morning,
old gentleman !'—'Good morning, sirs!' and we soon entered into a familiar chat
with our ornithological acquaintance. More than three-score years and ten had
evidently passed over his grey head, whilst his manners and language betokened
him to be a man who had seen better days. Not that he was to be pitied ! By
no means ! Yet did he seem a man of gentler birth than bird-catchers generally
are. We learned from him that his early life had been spent near Liverpool, and