FROGS, BOYS, AND OTHER SMALL DEER. 175 



above the water. Neither were they dissipated 

 creatures, for I found one of the Skaters going 

 to bed as early as a quarter before six on a June 

 evening before it was dark. 



They did not like to get up very early in the 

 morning. I have gone to the miniature lake at 

 half-past six in the morning, but the folks were 

 not up. By looking sharply, I could see one 

 hanging above the water, his hind legs flopping 

 helplessly down below him. In a bigger hole 

 were one or two others, as could be seen by the 

 number of legs protruding from the cranny. 



But the folks were not at all disturbed by my 

 visit to their chamber. Perhaps they were dream- 

 ing. Did they dream of the brook where they 

 once skated as free bugs, or did they dream of a 

 time when their jailer would be able to catch 

 more palatable flies for them than those were that 

 were thrown in yesterday ? Again, at half -past 

 seven, I looked in upon them, but the sluggards 

 were still abed. Water - skaters are evidently 

 lazy. 



And I do not think that they have as quick 

 eyes as one might imagine them to possess. For, 

 in idle moments, when I have stood beside some 

 little pool on which the Water-skaters were numer- 

 ous, after the first shock of my presence was over 

 and the creatures had forgotten me, I have amused 

 myself with casting broken heads of grasses into 

 the water, as near the creatures as I could, to see 



