374 WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 



early morning, as the sun begins to acquire some 

 strength, the white mists sweep over the surface and 

 visibly melt and disappear. One hot summer, when 

 the lake was full, and kept so artificially by the hatches 

 and dams, I found by observation that its level sank 

 nearly half an inch every day. This was the more 

 striking because there was at the same time an influx 

 more than enough to repair the loss from leakage. Now 

 the evaporation of half an inch of water over such a 

 width of surface meant the ascension into the atmos- 

 phere of many thousands of gallons ; and thus even 

 this insignificant pool might form a cloud of some 

 magnitude in a few days. What immense vapours 

 may then arise from the surface of the ocean ! 



Sometimes a winter's morning is, I think, almost as 

 beautiful as summer, when the ice is thick with the 

 sharp frost, and the sun shines in a blue sky free from 

 clouds. One such morning, while putting on my 

 skates, I happened to look up, and was surprised to 

 see a bird of unusual appearance, and large size, 

 soaring slowly overhead. I immediately recognized 

 an eagle ; and that was the solitary occasion on 

 which I ever saw one here. The bird remained in 

 sight some time, and finally left, going south-east 

 towards the sun. 



On the afternoon of the day before the beginning of 

 the frost the wind gradually sinks, and the dead 

 leaves which have been blown to and fro settle in 

 corners and sheltered places. As the sun sets all is 

 still, and there is a sense of freshness in the air. Then 



