DOUNE CASTLE 267 



LXXX 



Driving to catch an early train one morning lately 



(1894), and taking a slight detour for 



A Fine 



the pleasure of passing along the shore Display of 



Colour 



of the lake sanctuary, I was rewarded 



by witnessing a beautiful scene of bird life. Old 

 beeches, towers of russet gold among the surround- 

 ing snow, had showered down their harvest of 

 sweet mast, thereby attracting a flock of wood- 

 pigeons, a cock pheasant or two, and numbers of 

 wild ducks. All were busily at work beneath the 

 spreading boughs ; on the approach of my dogcart, 

 pigeons and ducks took wing together and flew 

 across the track a splendid show of fine feathers 

 in the low, bright sunlight. 



LXXXI 



It is not long since we of ' the leisured classes,' 



were sneering at bicyclists as 'cads upon 



Donne Castle 

 castors ; at the present time some 



people reckon proficiency on wheels as essential to 

 being in the mode. That is rather a ^drawback, in 

 the view of quiet folk ; but there is plenty of com- 

 pensation ; not the least part of which being the 



