THE BALANCE OF NATURE. 195 



their heads above the surface, inhale a long 

 breath, eye me askance, and as slowly sink 

 again. Within the depths of such a long, quiet 

 pool, where the waters have no visible onward 

 flow, dwell many forms of fishes and amphi- 

 bians. 'Tis the home of the pout, the muskrat, 

 the snapper, the bullfrog, the mud-loving mus- 

 sel and the lamper eel. These denizens have no 

 laws to obey, no schools to attend, no society to 

 attract or cater to the foibles of. Drink they 

 have about them. Sleep they can, when the 

 notion takes them. Fevers and other diseases 

 are to them mostly unknown. The one thing 

 which the weaker have to fear is the maw of the 

 stronger. Ever must they be on the lookout for 

 the oncoming of the higher, the more mighty. 

 But the weaker beget many of their kind, the 

 stronger few, and thus the balance of nature is 

 maintained. 



On yester-eve my attention was attracted by a 

 peculiar sound which came from the old pas- 

 ture. It was a long, scolding snarl, resembling 

 somewhat the chatter of a gray squirrel. At 

 first I mistook it for such, and scanned closely 



