144 SPRING. 



broom, or furze, there is always a brake between it 

 and the better ground ; and if it be elevated, the water 

 that falls upon the top, and fails in being useful there, 

 in consequence of the soil, the temperature, or both, 

 percolates into the soil, comes out again just at the 

 place where it can fertilize the protecting brake, and 

 springs out there with a temperature far above that of 

 freezing rain in winter, so that the bushes that compose 

 the brake are always vigorous, and the grass between 

 and under them is always green. In this way they are 

 a resource to many animals, at the same time that they 

 perform this important part in the general economy. 

 The frogs resort to them, are there only partially 

 dormant, and very early in the spring resort to the 

 rearing of their numerous and singular families. The 

 birds resort to them; as they find there the latest 

 berry, the latest seed, and the earliest insect; and 

 while any portion remains unfrozen, they always find 

 insects there in some state or other, more especially the 

 little shell snails that are always found in such places. 

 We are inclined also to think, from the innumerable 

 prints of little claws and feet that we have seen about 

 such places, that the white fibres of the water cress, 

 and the gems and young shoots of the conferva find 

 the little twitterers in many a meal, at times when little 

 else is accessable. The larger animals resort so much 

 to such places, that they are valuable appendages to a 

 mountain pasture; and we may add that they are 

 always spots at which, if man would but take the 

 hints that nature gives him, he would plant a little 

 more. In this way people begin to school themselves 

 a little, and in addition to the mere fact of having a 



