Pond Life 
they soon saw me, and flew off quacking 
with fright. After an interval spent in 
filling up the open spaces with more 
sticks and dead leaves, another pair 
settled, and though they carefully looked 
all round, and seemed rather suspicious, 
they finally thought it was all right ; and 
after preening their feathers, they began 
to swim about and enjoy themselves. 
They were at this time of year in their 
brightest plumage. The drake, or 
mallard, in particular was a_ perfect 
picture, with his glossy green head and 
the white ring round his neck, his brilliant 
orange feet and mottled grey feathers 
on his flanks and back. After some 
time spent in smoothing and cleaning 
himself up generally, he actually went 
to sleep on the shelf of ice just in front 
of me, while his wife stood near him 
106 
