Pond Life 
kept your eyes open, you have probably 
seen a good many interesting things and 
learnt a great deal about the life of the 
inhabitants of and visitors to the pond. 
Even if the kingfisher hadn’t come at 
all it wouldn’t be wasted time, because 
waiting thus, hidden away and more or 
less motionless, is the best way of all to 
see something of the doings of the wild 
creatures around us. It is ever so much 
better than walking about, because then, 
however slowly and carefully you may go, 
nearly all the birds and beasts see or 
hear you first, and if you see them—and 
half of them you would never see at 
all—it will be only a glimpse as they 
are flying away as fast as they can, or 
scuttling into their holes. You see, the 
chief aim of all wild things is to escape 
notice, especially human notice. Their 
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