AND THEIR INHABITANTS. 231 



of which look into the air, so that the creature may 

 be on its guard against its numerous enemies. The 

 larva is a curious skeleton-like creature. They, in 

 common with Dydiscus and Dragon-fly larva, are great 

 favourites with the water-ouzel, as well as the duck 

 tribe and water-rail. But the water-ouzel is not 

 often found in Sussex. During the month of May, 

 1854, I was surprised by seeing the bearded tit play- 

 ing among the reeds in a marsh near Lewes. Its 

 favourite haunt and breeding-place is the fenny 



LARVA OF DRAGON-FLY. 



district of Norfolk and Suffolk; but owing to the 

 drainage of the fens it has been nearly extirpated. 

 These are beautiful cage-birds, but they have no 

 attractive song. The beautiful water-violet, Hottonia 

 palustris, with its bunch of lilac flowers, was found 

 rather abundantly in the Lewes brooks. This is a 

 beautiful aquarium plant, and one that gives out a 

 great deal of oxygen. Along the banks of the Ouse 

 at the end of May I got plenty of the Yellow Iris, or 

 Corn-flag, Iris pseudo aeon's, which I remember from 



