THE POND AT LOW TIDE 



A.LL about the pond the woodland 

 folk are enjoying shore dinners, for it 

 is the time of ebb tide, and a wonder- 

 fully low ebb at that. Not for a score 

 of years do I recall such low water. 

 Where, on the ebb of ordinary years, the 

 crow has been able to find one fresh- 

 water clam, he may now feed till he can 

 hold no more, for the drought has been 

 long and severe, and the pond has been 

 drained to the very dregs. 



I say fresh-water clams, for that is 

 the name commonly applied to the crea- 

 tures, though I know that I might more 

 properly call them river mussels, and if 

 I wished to be severely scientific I should 

 say Unio margaritifera, though it is diffi- 



