42 WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 



Scarcely a quarter of a mile from the earthwork, 

 and on a level with it close to the clump of firs and 

 beech alluded to previously there may be seen on 

 this warm summer day a broad, circular, pan-like 

 depression partially filled with water. Being on the 

 very top of the ridge, and only so far sunk as to hold 

 a sufficient quantity, there is little or no watershed 

 to drain into the pond ; neither is there a spring or 

 any 6ther apparent source of supply. It would 

 naturally be imagined that in this exposed position, 

 even if filled to the brim by heavy storms of rain, a 

 week of sultry sunshine would evaporate it to the last 

 drop ; instead of which, excepting, of course, unusu- 

 ally protracted spells of dry weather such as only 

 come at lengthy intervals, there will always be found 

 some water here ; even under the blazing sunshine 

 a shallow pool remains, and in ordinary times the 

 circular basin is half full. 



It is of quite modern construction, and, except in- 

 directly, has no bearing upon the water-supply of the 

 earthwork, having been made within a few years only 

 for the convenience of the stock kept upon the hill 

 farms. Some special care is taken in puddling the 

 bottom and sides to prevent leakage, and a layer of 

 soot is usually employed to repel boring grubs or 

 worms which would otherwise make their holes 

 through and let the water soak into the thirsty chalk 

 beneath. In wet weather the pond quickly fills. 

 Once full, it is afterwards kept up by the condensa- 

 tion of the thick, damp mists, the dew and cloud-like 



