262 STADDON HEIGHTS IN MAY. 



tenderest green-house denizens. While you silently 

 admire these wild gems, there are two sounds mingling 

 around you in most exquisite power ; the voice of the 

 vast sea and the music of exulting birds. Among the 

 latter there are long-drawn-out, tender, melancholy 

 tones, and short, quick bursts of extasy ; there are 

 thrillings of melody and unmeasured, exuberant flashes 

 of happiness ; there are inviting calls and welcome res- 

 ponses ; but they all mingle into one anthem whose 

 power will perhaps call forth an involuntary tear. The 

 sound of the sea is not a monotonous moan, such as 

 rises desolately on the wing of Night, nor a boding voice 

 as of tempests near at hand, nor an angry surging along 

 the iron shore, but a most soothing, quiet, murmuring 

 cadence which combined with the sylvan measures 

 around causes you to forget that you were, not long 

 since, in the world which man has made the town. 

 Its slander, falsehood, and heartlessness are forgotten, 

 you feel yourself plunged in tn unutterable dream and 

 yet are conscious that it is a dream: you rejoice 

 in experiencing a vision which renders life a luxury 

 and yet regret that the vision must soon pass away and 

 sadden into stern reality. 



While you rest near a footpath, or on a bank expo- 

 sed to the sun, the slow-snake and nimble lizard may 

 be frequently observed : the former is easily caught 

 for the purpose of examination, but the latter requires 

 more dexterity ; for while it lies coiled up and basking in 

 the noon light its eyes are eagerly glistening and ready to 

 take notice of intruders: it moves also with great agility 

 so as often to evade the quickest hands. Both are per- 

 fectly harmless, and may be examined without fear and 

 with much gratification. A rabbit will, sometimes, steal 

 out for a moment and look fearfully around as if con- 

 sdou.s that the day is a dangerous time for it to be 

 abroad : should you make the slightest noise the timid 

 little creature will spring away into the brushwood and 

 he out of sight in an instant. 



Birds are abundant on your way, and their habits 

 and economy may be studied a little, perhaps, without 

 your knowing their specific and generic names ; you 



