82 About the Feathered Folk. 



marks on the heather yonder, where, 

 it is said, the outlines of their camp 

 can yet be traced on the field of 

 Rullion Green. 



Then flitting by me came the 

 water-ouzels. They alighted just 

 above : he on a stone in mid-water, 

 she on a tussock of grass at the 

 edge. There they faced each other, 

 making quick little bobs and bows, 

 and pattering over the half-sub- 

 merged stones. 



Presently he, with a flourish, went 

 overhead in the burn, and regained 

 his stone with a jerky little bow to 

 his mate, as though to say, " What, 

 now, do you think of that ? " 



She bobbed back her admiration ; 

 but it possibly was not warm enough 

 to satisfy him, for again he left his 

 stone and began the quickest and 

 most daring manoeuvres. He dived, 

 he swam, he dipped. One moment 

 he charged the stream just where it 

 broke in a miniature waterfall, letting 



