194 BROWNbEA ISLAND. 



and the kitchen gardens and vineries. At one spot near the 

 lakes is a grassy slope leading to a cottage and known as 

 Venetia Park, where palms, orange and lemon trees, and tropical 

 plants flourish. All through the island the slopes are covered 

 with rhododendrons, juniper, Scotch firs, insigniis, macrocarpa, 

 Corsican pines, and many other varieties of evergreens, plenti- 

 fully mingled with cedars and deciduous forest trees. Wild 

 fowl in great variety visit the Island, and the low-lying land 

 within the sea-wall is the favourite haunt of many seabirds ; and 

 several varieties of plover, the redshank, greenshank, sandpiper, 

 and snipe may be found there. The cross-bill comes very often, 

 and the green woodpecker's cry is quite familiar. But perhaps 

 the most beautiful little winged creature that favours us is the 

 kingfisher. 



I fear that I have perhaps transgressed as regards taking up 

 too much time in reading the paper, but my attachment to the 

 subject of my theme must be my excuse. 



