44 WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 



it to be condensed into the pond or congealed upon 

 the tree. 



There is another such a pond half a mile or more 

 from the earthwork in another direction, but also on 

 a level, making two upon this high and exposed down. 

 Many others are scattered about ; they have become 

 more numerous of late years. Several are situate on 

 the lower plateau, which is also dry enough. Toiling 

 over the endless hills in the summer heats, I have 

 often been driven by necessity of thirst to taste a little 

 of the water contained in them, though well know- 

 ing the inevitable result. The water has a dead 

 flavour ; it is not stagnant in the sense of impurity, 

 but dead, even when quite clear. In a few moments 

 after tasting it the mouth dries, with a harsh unpleas- 

 ant feeling, as if some impalpable dusty particles had 

 got into the substance of the tongue. This is caused 

 probably by suspended chalk, of which it tastes ; for 

 assuaging thirst, therefore, it is worse than useless in 

 summer. Very different is the exquisitely limpid cool 

 liquid which bubbles out in the narrow coombes far 

 below. 



The indirect bearing of the phenomena of these dew- 

 ponds upon the water-supply of the ancient fort is 

 found in the evidence they supply that under different 

 conditions the deposit of moisture here might have 

 been very much larger. The ice formed upon the 

 branches of the beech trees in winter proves that 

 water is often present in the atmosphere in large quan- 

 tities ; all it requires is something to precipitate it. 



