202 WILD SPORTS IN THE SOUTH. 



and strong claws? The 'careful student of nature lies all 

 the freezing night by the side of his house, and ever 

 and anon with his tail spatters the water over the dome, 

 until finally the house is massed in ice so thick that none 

 but the summer can break it. And within, in liis goodly 

 chamber, lined with the river grass, the plumage of 

 ducks, and the soft silk of the silkweed, my friend lies 

 with his wife, safe from enemies, from want, and from 

 cold, and reads me a lesson of skill and providence I 

 have not yet followed. 



In some lakes I have seen as many as thirty of these 

 little domes rising about three feet from the water, and 

 resembling an Indian village. When the nights are still 

 in autumn, the inhabitants of this modern Venice will be 

 found lying about on the lake, chasing each other 

 around the houses, or playing tag on the open water. 

 They lie on the surface, with their tails slightly arched, 

 which is a sign of watchfulness, and by a quick motion 

 will disappear so suddenly that even the hunter's shot is 

 ineffectual to stop them. One old beadle will now and 

 then be seen mounting one of the houses, and with 

 an august dignity survey the surrounding shores, and 

 when well satisfied, will dive down so softly as not to 

 leave a ripple ; but if, perchance, he should see some 

 cause of alarm, he leaps back with an angry plash, and 

 the whole tribe disappear in an instant. Should you be 

 tempted to fire a gun at some impudent member of the 

 colony, before the bright flash had faded along the shore, 

 every one will have disappeared from view. You may 



