138 LOCH CRERAN. 



down the bank, walks just over its feet in the water, looks 

 at the grass at the other side, peeps through the water 

 before it, casts a half glance backwards at the grassless 

 gravel as if ashamed of itself, takes another step forward, 

 and tries to look as if it merely went in to cool itself. 

 " I'm not the least afraid, and I can swim as well as you," 

 it says to those already over; then quietly turns and 

 walks sedately ashore ! Now, why did it not follow its 

 neighbours ? It evidently decided that " the game was 

 not worth the candle," and said, " I'm not such a sheep 

 as I look," as plainly as possible. We have been lately 

 amused with the habits of our ducks compared with the 

 fowls. It is the custom with us to give them a feed in 

 the morning ere they start on their peregrinations, but 

 the ducks will rather want their matutinal meal than take 

 it before they have a swim, while the hens will rush at it 

 with energy. No matter although the food is at their 

 feet the ducks have a plunge inthe sea and a good swim, 

 and return " hot foot " to what may be left. 



Yes ! the disappearance of our webbed starfish was a 

 mystery ; and next morning the soap would not lather, 

 and we thought our hands must be salt from dabbling in 

 the salt water. But neither glycerine nor brown Windsor 

 would do, and the more we rubbed the less chance there 

 seemed of ultimate success. So we hurriedly tried the 

 soap direct upon our persons, but the water would not 

 take it off, and it gradually dawned upon our awakening 

 senses that there was a reason more potent than badly 

 made soap. Our damsel had transferred a ewer of sea- 

 water from our stock aquarium to our bed-room ; and 

 although she looked as innocent as a sucking dove, we 

 have a strong suspicion that the enemy that so struck at 



