AN APRIL RAMBLE. 73 



gnats dance merrily in the April sun, tossing up and 

 down in a never-ending stream, in and out like some 

 fantastic whirligig, all intricate confusion, yet order per- 

 sonified. Now and then the heavy humble-bees drone 

 by, or make a terrible fuss amongst the tangled vegeta- 

 tion of a sunk fence. At eventide the big beetles 

 resume their nocturnal flights, and the first few early 

 moths flutter up and down in a half-hearted sort of way. 

 A few honey bees wander forth to visit the spring-tide 

 blossoms, and here and there a drake-fly rises from the 

 stream. 



Animals also feel the influence of spring-time, and the 

 hibernating species come out of their winter retreats to 

 join the grand carnival of the woods and fields held in 

 honour of Nature's Birthday ! Fat and plump little 

 dormice, like round balls of nut-brown fur, run gaily 

 up the branches of the hazel bushes and skip about 

 among the dead leaves under the trees ; whilst in the 

 branches overhead the squirrels leap in merry gambols. 

 At eventide the bats flit out of their haunts in the church 

 tower, or from the hollow trunks of the elms on the 

 village green, and look very conspicuous against the 

 clear western sky. By the brookside you may see the 

 water rat sitting at the entrance to his hole, or on a 

 flat stone, watching suspiciously your every movement ; 

 and the shy otters are busy among the fish, which are 

 now hastening to the spawning-beds. 



