56 IN THE GREEN LEAF 



green lights fall in with the colour of his 

 plumage. A slight click is heard on the tree 

 next to the one that hides me. I look up, only 

 to catch sight of a tuft of crimson feathers and 

 a keen eye showing over a burr in the bark. 

 The next moment he is off, shouting yike-yike- 

 yike ! 



The bird's cry rings out from the old oaks, 

 that cast shadows from their overhanging 

 branches on to the pure waters of the mere, 

 which is fringed with beds, or rather sheaves, of 

 yellow iris, clumps of meadow-sweet, beds of 

 purple loose-strife, and bunches of the flowery 

 rush, with a thick growth of forget-me-nots to 

 complete the show. 



It is very evident that other birds understand 

 his cry of alarm as he loops himself over the 

 mere to the other side, for I have glided on 

 him without being seen for once ; and I have 

 very much startled him. 



Wild ducks paddle out from their aquatic 

 covers, followed by their broods of flappers ; 

 others spring up and flick away, with the noise- 

 less flight of nesting-time. The herons, those 

 beautiful grey, white, and black waders, spring up 

 from the outer belt of aquatic growth the firm 

 portion of it, which is nearly solid ground, 



