Reed-bed at Stanz-stadt. 85 



for the birds ; then we will mount to the pastures 

 of the Gerstni-alp, in region No. 2, and so 

 upwards to the Joch-pass, which in early summer 

 is covered with snow, and introduces us to region 

 No. 3. Descending for an hour to the Engstlen- 

 alp, loveliest of Swiss pastures, we find ourselves 

 here, at the excellent inn, again in No. 2, but 

 still within very easy reach of No. 3 ; and then 

 we can pass downwards through the Gentelthal, 

 or along the pastures that look down on it from 

 the north for there are three different ways, all 

 of them of the rarest beauty to the deep valley 

 of the Aar, or Hasli-thal, where we arrive once 

 more in region No. i. 



On reaching Stanz-stadt, I always take a turn 

 along the road that here forms a narrow causeway 

 between two divisions of the lake, and is bordered 

 on one side for some distance by a broad bed of 

 reeds. Any ornithologist would see at once that 

 something is in store for him here, and if I had 

 had time or patience to stay here in the heat, I 

 might probably have seen more than I did see. 

 The Bittern occasionally visits these reeds, for 

 the landlord of the inn showed me a very fine 



