224 Sure-footed Sheep. 



lake, which came in on them, slowly forming 

 pools. 



These are now bordered by aquatic grasses, and 

 from their depths every now and then the newts 

 come up to the surface. In the sand pi-ecipices are 

 small round holes worked out by the martins there 

 must be scores of them. Where narrow terraces 

 afford access to four-footed creatures, the rabbits, 

 too, have dug out larger caves ; some of them rise 

 upwards, and open on the field above, several yards 

 from the edge of the cliff. The sheep sometimes 

 climb up by these ledges ; they are much more active 

 than they appear to be, and give the impression that 

 in their native state they must have rivalled the. 

 goats. The lambs play about in dangerous-looking 

 places without injury : the -only risk seems to be of 

 their coming unexpectedly on the cliff from above ; 

 if they begin from below they are safe. A wood- 

 pigeon may frequently be found in the quarry 

 sometimes in the pits, sometimes on the ledges high 

 up and the goldfinches visit it for the abundant 

 thistledown. 



Between the excavated hollow and the lake there 

 is but a narrow bank of stone and sand overgrown 

 with sward ; and, reclining there, the eye travels 

 over the broad expanse of water, almost level with 

 it, as one might look along a gun-barrel. Yonder 

 the roan cattle are in the water up to their knees ; 

 the light air ripples the surface, and the sunshine 

 plajang on the wavelets glistens so brilliantly that 

 the eye can scarcely bear it ; and the cattle ponder 

 dreamily, standing in a flood of liquid gold. 



A path running from ^Vick across the fields to the 



