vil WATER 253 
tion. Here and there a speckled Trout may 
be detected (rather by the shadow than the 
substance) suspended in the clear water, or 
darting across a shallow; if we are quiet we 
may see Water Hens or Wild Ducks swim- 
ming among the lilies, a Kingfisher sitting on 
a branch or flashing away like a gleam of 
light; a solemn Heron stands maybe at the 
water's edge, or slowly rises flapping his 
great wings; Water Rats, neat and clean 
little creatures, very different from their 
coarse brown namesakes of the land, are 
abundant everywhere; nor need we even yet 
quite despair of seeing the Otter himself. 
Insects of course are gay, lively, and in- 
numerable; but after all the richest fauna is 
that visible only with a microscope. 
“To gaze,’ says Dr. Hudson, “into that 
wonderful world which lies in a drop of 
water, crossed by some stems of green weed, 
to see transparent living mechanism at work, 
and to gain some idea of its modes of action, 
to watch a tmy speck, that can sail through 
the prick of, a needle’s poimt; to see its 
crystal armour flashing with ever varying 
