^3* NATURE NEAR LONDON 



here, nothing visible at present not so much as a 

 stickleback. 



Yet the stream ran clear and sweet, and deep in 

 places. It was too broad for leaping over. Down 

 the current sedges grew thickly at a curve ; up the 

 stream the young flags were rising ; it had an in- 

 habited look, if such a term may be used, and 

 moorhens and water-rats were about, but no fish. 

 A wide furrow came along the meadow and joined 

 the stream from the side. Into this furrow, at flood 

 time, the stream overflowed further up, and irri- 

 gated the level sward. 



At present it was dry, its course, traced by the 

 yellowish and white hue of the grasses in it only 

 recently under water, contrasting with the brilliant 

 green of the sweet turf around. There was a marsh 

 marigold in it, with stems a quarter of an inch 

 thick ; and in the grass on the verge, but just be- 

 yond where the flood reached, grew the lilac-tinted 

 cuckoo flowers, or cardamine. 



The side hatch supplied a pond which was only 

 divided from the brook by a strip of sward not more 

 than twenty yards across. The surface of the pond 

 was dotted with patches of scum that had risen from 

 the bottom. Part at least of it was shallow, for a 

 dead branch blown from an elm projected above 

 the water, and to it came a sedge-reedling for a 

 moment. The sedge-reedling is so fond of sedges 

 68 



