82 BY MEADOW AND STREAM. 



wander away from home, and the affectionate mother 

 has an anxious time in keeping an eye, one after 

 another, on the whole brood. The maternal instincts 

 in the hen were so strong that we could have caught 

 her easily as she came boldly up almost to our feet to 

 cuddle and croon over her brood of unruly chicks ; 

 and her gentle cooing tone towards them curiously 

 contrasted with the shrill, nagging tone she had used 

 to warn me off." David vowed he never saw such a 

 pretty scene in all his life, and I am sure Tom Parry 

 is meditating a poem to be called " The Piper's Nest " 

 (in Welsh), which, if it reaches fruition, I shall hope 

 to include in this book for the special edification of 

 my readers, particularly of that large portion of them 

 who are acquainted with the Welsh language. 



Saturday > July yth. Not quite so pleasant a day 

 as usual. A cold wind blew over the lake, which 

 had a boisterous and unfishable look. Rose and 

 Arthur, accompanied by the faithful David, ventured 

 out, and came back with two and a half brace in the 

 morning, and three and a half brace in the evening 

 six brace of fine trout, which made a pretty display on 

 the hall table. 



Up to last night and during the whole week Hotel 

 Vyrnwy has been almost in our sole possession. Last 

 night the Water Committee of the Corporation of 

 Liverpool came down upon us in a body to examine 

 their property and enjoy a pleasant holiday, and they 

 could hardly come to a pleasanter place. 



I will finish up my record of this week by saying 

 that the accommodation to be found in Hotel Vyrnwy 

 is such as should satisfy any reasonable being ; it is 



