WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 379 



causing the water to " catch " that is, the slender, 

 thread-like spicules form on the surface, and, joining 

 together, finally cover it. It is, of course, because 

 the water-meadows are long before altogether frozen 

 that the duck and teal come down to them. When the 

 brooks are frozen is almost the only time when the dab- 

 chick can be got to rise ; at other times this bird will 

 dive and redive, and double about in the water, and 

 rather be caught by the spaniels than take wing. But 

 when the ice prevents this they will fly. Wood-pigeons 

 go to the few places that remain moist, and also frequent 

 the hawthorn bushes with the fieldfares. They seem 

 fond of trees that are overgrown with ivy, probably 

 for the berries. 



The fish are supposed to go down upon the mud ; 

 but the jacks certainly do the reverse : they may be 

 seen lying just beneath the ice, and apparently touch- 

 ing it with their backs. They seem partly torpid. 

 In open winters, such as we have had of recent years, 

 the hedge fruit remains comparatively untouched by 

 birds ; from which it would appear that it is not alto- 

 gether a favourite food. 



The country folk, who are much about at night and 

 naturally pay great heed to the weather, are per- 

 suaded that on rainy nights more shooting stars are 

 seen than when it is bright and clear. The kind of 

 weather they mean is when scudding clouds with 

 frequent breaks pass over, now obscuring and now 

 leaving part of the sky visible, and with occasional 

 showers. These shooting stars, they say, are but just 



