52 NATURE NEAR LONDON 



joined the stream from the side. Into this furrow, at 

 flood time, the stream overflowed farther up, and irri- 

 gated the level sward. 



At present it was dry, its course, traced by the 

 yellowish and white hue of the grasses in it only recently 

 under water, contrasting with the brilliant green of the 

 sweet turf around. There was a marsh marigold in it, 

 with stems a quarter of an inch thick ; and in the grass 

 on the verge, but just beyond where the flood reached, 

 grew the lilac-tinted cuckoo flowers, or cardamine. 



The side hatch supplied a pond, which was only 

 divided from the brook by a strip of sward not more 

 than twenty yards across. The surface of the pond was 

 dotted with patches of scum that had risen from the 

 bottom. Part at least of it was shallow, for a dead 

 branch blown from an elm projected above the water, 

 and to it came a sedge-reedling for a moment. The sedge* 

 reedling is so fond of sedges, and reeds, and thick under- 

 growth, that though you hear it perpetually within a few 

 yards it is not easy to see one. On this bare branch the 

 bird was well displayed, and the streak by the eye was 

 visible ; but he stayed there for a second or two only, 

 and then back again to the sedges and willows. 



There were fish I felt sure as I left the spot and re- 

 turned along the dusty road, but where were they ? 



On the sward by the wayside, among the nettles and 

 under the bushes, and on the mound the dark green arum 

 leaves grew everywhere, sometimes in bunches close to- 

 gether. These bunches varied in one place the leaves 

 were all spotted with black irregular blotches ; in an- 

 other the leaves were without such markings. When the 

 root leaves of the arum first push up they are closely 

 rolled together in a pointed spike. 



This, rising among the dead and matted leaves of the 



