138 ROMANCE OF LOW LIFE AMONGST PLANTS. 



upon its approach with dread, as it interfered so 

 much with his angling that during the period of its 

 continuance this sport had to be abandoned. Eels, 

 pike, and perch, especially the latter, are abundant 

 in the lake, but when the water is clouded by the 

 plant, the diminution in the number of perch taken 

 is said to be not less than about one to fifty — the 

 difference is attributed to the fish not being able to 

 see the bait. Five days afterwards I found the 

 entire lake tinged with this plant, but unequally so. 

 In some parts where the water was two feet deep, 

 the bottom could be seen ; in others it was invisible 

 at one-fourth of this depth ; at the leeward and wind- 

 ward sides there was but little difference, except that 

 at the latter it was occasionally observed to give a 

 pale green tinge to the surface, where the water 

 circling gently congregated it together, and threw 

 it thence in a broken cloudy form for a moment, 

 when it was again dispersed. From eminences at 

 some little distance the green tinge of the water is 

 most conspicuous ; in some places the colour is of a 

 pale dull green, in others greenish brown, thus im- 

 parting the dull dead aspect of a Dutch canal. 



" Twelve days afterwards the lake was found to 

 be more densely coloured than before. The day 

 being perfectly calm, the surface of the water was 

 covered to some extent, where the depth appeared 

 to be about five or six feet, with an alga of a pale 

 but rich green hue. Ten days elapsed, and, on visit- 

 ing the lake, the water had lost some degree of its 

 opacity, and looked clearer. Instead of the beautiful 

 appearance which the surface formerly presented, 



