94 THE STOiXE-CHAT 



I recognized the stone-chat, which they call the hammer- 

 er in my province, and the description that old Belon 

 has given of it recurred to my mind : a You can see it 

 perching on the highest tree-tops, constantly flapping its 

 wings, on account of this unceasing restlessness they call 

 it traquet or mill-clapper; for as the mill-clapper never 

 stops, as long as the mill-stone is grinding, so this restless 

 bird is for ever flapping its wings, » 



Satisfied with having seen the stone-chat again, I left 

 the museum, recalling to my mind the pretty countenance 

 of that lover of bushy moors. I crossed the narrow streets 

 of Saint-Malo, lined on each side with tall houses, and 

 I was drawing near the sunshiny quays, where 1 could see 

 the outlines of multitudes of masts, clearly defined on 

 the surface of the 'greenish white sea. The wind had 

 risen, the boats were dancing along the slips, and 1 could 

 perceive beyond the wall of the quay the tops of their 

 masts rocking to and fro. On the opposite side of the 

 bay, Dinard was spreading out in the sun its terrace-like 

 gardens and its Italian villas. The boats were now leaving 

 the slips and taking advantage of the wind to sail towards 

 the river Ranee. The steam ferry boat, filled with pas- 

 sengers, was slowly crossing the bay, leaving behind it a 

 long wake of white foam. The animation which seemed 

 to reign on the water and in the air induced me to take a 

 trip also ; so 1 jumped into a boat, and told them to take 

 nie to the Point of Vicomte. There, 1 climbed up the 



