143 A MEMENTO FROM THE YARE. 



The Water Iris {Iris pseudacorus) grew among the reedy jungles, and we bi'ought 

 home bunches of it. One stem I obtained had eight flowers on, and was 

 nearly four feet high. We moved occasionally, or rather stopped, to secure a 

 nest from the overhanging boughs ; that of a Chafiinch with young, a Thrush's 

 with young, nearly half a score of the Keed Warbler's we met with, and two 

 of the Eeed Sparrow. In a hollow recess, at the very top of a sere and dead 

 ash, a Green Woodpecker had its home all snug. We passed a party angling 

 for Trout; and soon left them, to return on our way home for the welcome 

 tea, so characteristic of Norfolk farm-houses, where an abundance of good 

 cream is ever ready and most inviting. 



After this repast, the kind yeoman took his hand-nets, and conducted us 

 into the meads, to a little runnel that seeks the Yare, about five feet wide, 

 and far from deep. The nets were cast, and his own promised well ; but, 

 alas, by some means, all escaped ; and they appeared very fine fish, too, to 

 render our mortification more acute : but the net employed by his nephew, a 

 young man who most keenly enjoyed the sport, was well towed and managed. 

 Surrounding it with a second net to prevent escape, the heavy drag soon told 

 of the spoil, very quickly to be secured. With care and great caution, he 

 landed six of the finest Bream imaginable, of a thick gi-owth, and well- 

 conditioned ; the average weight was not quite seven pounds each. It was an 

 excellent haul for a small hand-net, and gladdened our hearts ; for it repaid 

 the previous disappointment. 



I carried one of them into Essex on the Saturday, June 24th; when I left, 

 with a sorrowful look on old haunts and places endeared to me ; but with a 

 satisfied breast at the warm treatment I had received from friends, and with 

 a rich acquaintance of Nature's beauty and God's love, amid which, for the 

 week I had been luxuriating. 



Just as I started for the train, a small packet was put into my hands ; and 

 it contained a nice root of the Asplenium Ruta-muraria, or Wall-rue, from 

 Bawburgh church. It is now flourishing capitally. Sunny Yare, adieu ! 



The Elms, Moseley Road, Birmingham, 

 Dec. eth, 1854. 



On the Instinct and Communicative Powers of the Horse. — According to pro- 

 mise, I send thee the anecdote respecting the sagacity of the Horse : — 

 When a boy, being at Whitechurch, near Blandford, Dorset, I noticed two 

 cart-horses that were driven from a farm-yard to drink. The brook was 

 frozen over, and one horse struck with his foot to break the ice, but it was 

 too hard to yield. The two horses then, standing side by side, lifted each 



