WILD-FOWL IN SANCTUARY 225 



formed by the waters of the Gleam all the tributaries 

 of the upper Thames, the Colne, the Windrush, and 

 the Evenlode, have harmonious names winds for some 

 two miles between low but steep hills, and naturally 

 attracts to its quiet surface most of the wild-fowl of the 

 Oxford vale. At my first visit to the lake at the end 

 of March, it was evident that their numbers were as yet 

 hardly diminished by departures for the North. Much 

 of the surface was still covered by ice and snow, and just 

 off the edge of the ice some twenty swans were feeding ; 

 while from all parts of the open water were heard the 

 constant musical whistle of widgeon and teal, the 

 quacking of the mallards, the hoarse snort of the swans, 

 and the croak of coots and moorhens, sounds more 

 suggestive of Poole Harbour on an August night, than 

 of a Midland lake in March. On the further bank, 

 sunning themselves on the sloping turf, and sheltered 

 from the wind, were a score of mallards and their 

 mates, which rose with much angry quacking and pro- 

 test as a herd of deer came trotting down to drink at 

 the very spot which they had chosen for their chilly 

 siesta. It was, however, no wanton intrusion by the 

 deer, for at that spot only was the shore free from ice, 

 where some land-spring broke the frozen boundary. 

 Meantime, the sun came out with a warmth which 

 could be felt, and a second flock of wild ducks broke 

 into sudden ecstasy at such an earnest of the coming 

 spring. Beating its wings upon the water, each mallard 

 rushed across the lake ; then diving, they reappeared 

 beside their mates, and went through a kind of water- 



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