64 “WITH - THE ISCAND BIRDS ONCE MORES 
water rat into the river, as he leaves his 
hole for a short excursion in the stream, and 
you will probably catch sight of him as 
well. A moorhen may slip slyly round 
amongst the reeds, knowing all the time 
that you are there (he, and the rat too, can 
smell your pipe). The surface of the water 
may be broken by the skimming of a swallow’ 
or a swift, the blob of a roach or dace, or the 
bubbles of a bleak, as they take the fly. 
Or perhaps a trout is on the feed, or a jack 
may make a sudden rush upon the roach. 
These you will not fail to notice if they are 
there. Dragon flies, great and small and 
variously hued, may flit around you all the 
time, together with a butterfly or two. An 
old frog will give you a short swimming 
lesson, and then lay up under some flotsam 
and jetsam in the stream, and croak a soft 
slow croak, and it will puzzle you to find 
where he has gone, unless he makes a move- 
ment to improve his position and his shifty 
hold. A harmless old cow may make you 
jump with a sudden snort just at your back. 
