By Mill- Pond and Meadow. 173 



times covered to a depth of ten feet by the chilly 

 waters of a winter's flood, and then what a place to 

 wander in a boat ! I always forget the cold and 

 possible rheumatic pains while chasing the drowned- 

 out musk-rats and laughing with the crows that float 

 upon any chance raft that their good fortune offers. 

 Crows are the business community of the bird-world, 

 with all of the ** devil-take-the-hindmost" element in 

 their methods. They enjoy a flood. Noisy as they 

 frequently are when nothing unusual has happened, 

 they are even more so now, and there are times 

 when I really believe that they laugh. They are 

 great talkers, so why should they not have a sense 

 of humor? But it is needless to enlarge upon this 

 matter : they do, and that is the end of it. During 

 these winter freshets I most frequently see the tern. 

 It is literally a transient visitor, and for that reason 

 seems the more beautiful ; for birds are, perhaps, 

 less valued when always abundant. How often 

 have you stopped to admire a swallow ? yet this bird 

 in full career, seen against the dark-blue summer 

 sky, is one of the world's wonders. Familiarity may 

 in some cases breed contempt, but as regards any 

 feature of bird-life it should not cause us to be even 

 indifferent. After the birds have gone we realize 

 what a blessing they have been. 



Later, when the flood is a matter of dim remem- 

 brance to most people, we grow indifferent as to 

 what nature is about ; but while the river is still 

 a swollen, turbulent, and rapid stream we may see, 

 if on the lookout, the great northern diver, the 



