WOOD ROADS 



and I had hardly rounded the busnes on 

 the bank before sixteen of them, with 

 much splashing, rose heavily into the air 

 and sailed off toward the big pond. 



Even in their fright I noticed that they 

 went out as the animals did from the ark, 

 two by two, and I smiled, for it is 

 one more sign of spring. I noticed the 

 crows in couples to-day for the first time. 

 A few black duck breed hereabout, and 

 the little pond with the button-bushes 

 growing along one shallow shore as thick 

 as mangroves in a West India swamp 

 might well be considered by house-hunt- 

 ing couples. Sitting under a mountain 

 laurel whose leaves furnish the only 

 shade on the bank, I watched quietly for 

 nearly half an hour. Then there was a 

 soft swish of sailing wings, and a pair 

 dropped lightly in without splash enough 

 to be heard. Yet there was little to see, 

 85 



