218 WOODLAND, MOOR, AND STREAM 



of hurried work. A fine old grape vine runs up one 

 end of the building and over a portion of the roof; 

 some of its arms run over and shade the old lead- 

 light windows in front. At the back stand noble 

 elms, their long branches interlacing ; fine trees these 

 for the rooks that have nested there for years ; no 

 one can tell when they first settled there. Large old 

 outbuildings are scattered round, and the fowls and 

 ducks wander all over the place. At the back of one 

 cluster of sheds is a large space of broken ground ; 

 gravel has been dug here in years past, and the pits 

 and hollows were never filled up. A small run of 

 water, a mere drain, flows from the river to this 

 broken ground, and in floodtime the water rushes 

 over the meadows and fills the hollows, leaving them 

 full when the river falls. Aquatic growth of all kinds 

 has covered the hillocks, and the hollows and pits are 

 covered with water-lilies mingling with fine weeds. 

 The edges are fringed with a thick growth of bulrush 

 and flag, varied by clumps of the yellow iris. Most 

 congenial homes for the tench are these pools ; he 

 got there years ago, and finding the locality to his 

 liking, he increased to such an extent as to monopolise 

 the quarters. A rude plank bridge crosses one of the 

 widest and deepest pits, placed there for the con- 

 venience of the workmen who were busy at repairs 



