THE PROCESSION OF SPRING 239 



the early morning. lam inclined to believe that the s . 



squirrel never moves at night. If this is so, it is the / ^^ 





only strictly diurnal animal we possess. 



Poor little red squirrel ! I wonder when the day 

 will come when its present persecutors, worthy cobnut 

 persons in their way, shall have learnt to " be to his 

 faults a little blind." 



A warmer day than usual brings out the grass-snake. . .^/fe^ 



These reptiles are fond of entering the frames in 

 which the gardener raises his seeds. They go there 

 partly for warmth, and partly in search of frogs, which 

 are attracted hither by the abundance of insect life. 

 Later on the snake will lay its leathery eggs in the 

 manure. 



The country folk in certain parts are firmly per- 

 suaded that the adder as it grows old develops a pair 

 of wings and flies about. They quite believe that they 

 have seen it flying. This diabolical accomplishment 

 intensifies the terrors of the " death-arder." Every- 

 thing that creeps and looks like a snake is a death- 

 adder. The idea arose in church, by mistake for 

 "deaf adder," long years before the School Board 

 came. 



A glance at May, and we must bid farewell to the 

 garden and the pool. 



