CHAPTER VII 



A DAY ON A NORFOLK MERE 



A FEW years ago, while I was still in full work at 

 Harrow, a letter reached me from Mr Henry Upcher, 

 a friend till then unknown to me, inviting me to 

 spend such portion of the next whole holiday as I 

 could, with him, and with his and my feathered 

 friends in Norfolk. " I have heard," he said, 

 ' 'from my boy in your Form, that you are very 

 fond of natural history ; would you care to make 

 a long journey to visit a great place for wild fowl 

 near here ? There are several sorts of duck to be 

 found, and there are, sometimes, a pair or two of 

 great crested grebes, besides other birds." It was 

 a tempting offer. I had always been particularly 

 fond of the wild duck and his kindred ; and I had 

 tried, with more or less success, for some years past, 

 to domesticate them in two small ponds, in my 



