THE INCOMING OF SUMMER 23 

 where a drab hedge-sparrow has her brood. 

 She inspects with grave demeanour their 

 orange gapes and divides the food among 

 them. They gulp, then plead vainly with 

 hoarse squeaks for more. Over the hedge 

 she drops, joining the host of wrens, white- 

 throats, blackbirds, thrushes, and red mice, 

 all looking for food. 



The rising club of the wild arum is 

 purple within its sheath; soon the " lords- 

 and-ladies " will attract the children to 

 their " river." The stream is singing a 

 mazed melody of soft sounds; by listening 

 intently each can be distinguished. Different 

 notes arise from the shattering of a crystal 

 bubble upon the stones, the hollow dripple 

 of a pebble rolled over the shallows, the 

 foamy swirling past willow trunks moss- 

 covered, the splashing into dwarfed trout- 

 pools. Where a sunbeam loads the ripples 

 a gold network drifts over the sand, holding 

 a twig in its eddy; or the wind stirs the 



leaves, and a million sunpoints are thrown 

 L.S. c 



