WILD-FOWL IN SANCTUARY 229 



struck upon a paling, all but the coots rose from the 

 water, the mallards showing to the greatest advantage 

 as they spread the fanlike white feathers below the 

 dark-green tail, and mounted high above the lake. 

 The widgeon kept in a compact flock, turning and 

 wheeling like starlings, and passing and repassing in a 

 symmetrical and monotonous course through exactly 

 the same evolutions in the air to an accompaniment of 

 melodious notes. The teal soon settled down in pairs, 

 some dashing boldly into the water, others alighting 

 with rapid backward beats of the wing upon the ice. 

 A careful stalk brought us near enough to see that the 

 teal, like most of the ducks, had evidently paired for 

 the summer, as the cock-birds were swimming round 

 their mates in a restless, fussy fashion, and did not 

 allow any other bird to come within the circle of water 

 so appropriated. The view of the lower lake which we 

 caught through the wide and beautiful arch of the 

 stone bridge, showed that the fowl were there even 

 more numerous than on the upper waters. From the 

 parapet of the bridge we counted seventy-four duck 

 sleeping on the edge of the ice. Under and upon the 

 steep and sloping bank near Rosamond's Well, quite 

 three times that number were crowded together, and as 

 a sudden snow-squall came over the hill, they all rose 

 with a loud roar of wings, and, joined by the flock 

 from the ice, settled on the open water, preferring, 

 apparently, to endure the squall on their native element 

 than on the ice or firm land. No doubt the numbers 

 of wild-fowl on the tidal harbours of the coast in 



