A SEVERE WINTER. 269 



such rare meteorological phenomena as long continued frosts on 

 the West Coast. Sitting on the end of a log of wood that lay 

 on the beach, a little above high-water mark, was a rook or crow, 

 which, as we approached, attempted to fly away, but could not. 

 It stretched itself, and strained, and flapped its wings frantically as 

 we drew near, but there it was, tethered firm and fast, manifestly 

 unable to budge an inch, unless it carried the immense log bodily 

 along with it. We wondered for a moment what in the world 

 could be the matter, for we could not recollect ever seeing a 

 rook, of all our birds the most knowing, perhaps, and self-possessed, 

 act so absurdly. Eunning forward and laying hold of the bird, we 

 had a ready solution of the mystery in the fact that the poor, 

 struggling creature's feet were firmly frozen to the log more 

 firmly than the best bird-lime or glue could have held them. 

 Thawing the frozen feet with some little trouble by the warmth of 

 our hand, we had the pleasure of setting the poor bird at liberty. 

 He for it was a male did not certainly weigh more, as we poised 

 him in our hand, than six or seven ounces, though the ordinary 

 weight of a rook in fair condition is nearly a couple of pounds. 

 Even within doors the frost was unusually intense. In a small 

 room off our own kitchen and in the latter there is, of course, always 

 a fire, and generally a large fire, burning the night's milk was fre- 

 quently found frozen into a hard and solid mass in the morning ; 

 so thoroughly frozen that the servant girl could, by tilting up the 

 vessel and smartly tapping its bottom get the solid contents of 

 frozen milk into her hand, and carry it, for the amusement of the 

 youngsters, about the house, from one room to another, as if it 

 were a Dunlop cheese. Such a frost we have not had on the West 

 Coast for at least a score of years. Our wild-bird levee of a 

 morning is a most interesting scene the most pleasant episode, 

 perhaps, in the necessarily dull routine of a winter's day in the 

 country. On these occasions we can depend on the presence of 



