WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 195 



of time is found to be curiously chased, as it were, all 

 over the surface under the loose bark by creeping 

 things. They eat channels, interweaving and winding 

 in and out, in an intricate pattern, occasionally a little 

 resembling the Moorish style of ornamentation seen 

 on the walls of the Alhambra. I have found poles 

 so curiously carved like this that the idea naturally 

 occurred of using them for cabinet-work. They might 

 at least have supplied a hint for a design. Besides 

 the wrens, many other birds visit the wood-pile : 

 sparrows are perpetually coming, and on the retired 

 side towards the meadow the robins build their nests. 

 On the ridge, where some of the sticks project, the 

 swallows often perch and twitter generally a pair 

 seem to come together. 



It takes skill as well as mere strength even to do so 

 simple a thing as to split the rough logs lying here on 

 the ground. They are not like those Abraham Lincoln 

 began life working at even-grained wood, quickly 

 divided but tough and full of knots strangely 

 twisted ; so that it needs judgment to put the wedges 

 in the right place. 



Near the wood-pile are a well and a stone trough 

 for thirsty horses to drink from, and as the water, 

 carelessly pumped in by the carters' lads, frequently 

 overflows, the ground just there is usually moist. If 

 one of the loose oak logs that lie here with the grass 

 growing up round it is rolled over, occasionally a lizard 

 may be found under it. This lizard is slender, and 

 not more than three or four inches in length, general 



