308 Wild Life in a Southern County 



artificially by the hatches and dams, I found by observation 

 that its level sank nearly half an inch every day. This 

 was the more striking because there was at the same time 

 an influx more than enough to repair the loss from leakage. 

 Now the evaporation of half an inch of water over such a 

 width of surface meant the ascension into the atmosphere 

 of many thousands of gallons ; and thus even this insigni- 

 ficant pool might form a cloud of some magnitude in a few 

 days. What immense vapours may then arise from the 

 surface of the ocean ! 



Sometimes a winter's morning is, I think, almost as 

 beautiful as summer, when the ice is thick with the sharp 

 frost, and the sun shines in a blue sky free from clouds. 

 One such morning, while putting on my skates, I happened 

 to look up, and was surprised to see a bird of unusual 

 appearance, and large size, soaring slowly overhead. I 

 immediately recognised an eagle ; and that was the soli- 

 tary occasion on which I ever saw one here. The bird 

 remained in sight some time, and finally left, going south- 

 east towards the sun. 



On the afternoon of the day before the beginning of 

 the frost the wind gradually sinks, and the dead leaves 

 which have been blown to and fro settle in corners and 

 sheltered places. As the sun sets all is still, and there is 

 a sense of freshness in the air. Then the logs of wood 

 thrown on the fire burn bright and clear the surface of a 

 burning log breaks up into small irregular squares ; and 

 the old folk shake their heads and say, c It will freeze.' 

 As the evening advances the hoofs of horses passing by on 

 the road give out a sharp sound a sign that the mud is 

 rapidly hardening. The grass crunches under foot, and in 

 the morning the elms are white with rime ; icicles hang 

 from the thatch, and the ponds are frozen. 



