After several years of such consideration The Woodlands had become a kind of bird sanctuary, where the little songsters appeared to know they were free from molestation.
That the fruit in the garden suffered rather a heavy toll was true; but, as Miss Bowes remarked: "One can't have everything.

We must remember how many insects they clear away, and not grudge them a few currants and gooseberries.

They pay us by their lovely songs in the spring." Ulyth was a great devotee of Nature study, and had the supreme satisfaction of being the first to discover that a pair of long-tailed tits were building in a gorse-bush down the paddock.

She was immensely excited, for they were rather rare birds in that district, and generally nested much higher up on the hills.

This was indeed the only instance on record of their having selected The Woodlands for their domestic operations.