64 WITH THE WOODLANDERS. 



that led from the water - meadows to the main 

 stream, were sources of real trouble to us at times 

 for this reason, they hid so much from us ; we could 

 not get what we wanted out of them, although we 

 knew perfectly well it was there. The finest water- 

 cresses and the largest forget-me-nots grew under 

 the tangled thorn branches. How new, how full of 

 interest and mystery much of it was to us in those 

 early years ! 



One such hidden stream I remember especially 

 well, since, as time went on, that arched-in brook 

 was one of my most valued hunting spots ; for on 

 one side corn-fields started, bordered near the brook 

 by fine oaks. In their season wild ducks, teal, 

 woodcock, snipe, moor-hens, and little grebes have 

 all been procured from this place. As the place 

 faced south, and the sides of the brook were steep, 

 when other places were frozen this kept open. 

 Sometimes water-rails made it their home, but they 

 did not stay, for their habitat proper is among reeds 

 and lush water-tangle. Even one place of refuge 

 improved away makes a difference ; and when hun- 

 dreds cease to exist, it makes a very great difference, 

 so far as numbers go, to a county. For all wild 



