MOORLAND IDYLLS. 



great pond-snail floats at the top, and lays 

 its oblong bunch of transparent eggs ; now 

 the water-crowfoot flowers ; the diver beetles 

 disport themselves amain ; strange long- 

 legged beasts that walk the water like insect 

 Blondins, begin to stalk the surface on their 

 living stilts ; and dancing little " whirligigs," 

 who skim the pond, coquette and pirouette 

 in interlacing circles. All nature is alive. 

 Winter is forgotten ; eating and drinking, 

 marrying and giving in marriage, are the 

 order of the day in pond and hedgerow. 

 Then the crested newt proceeds to devour 

 his smaller relative, and the tadpole to elbow 

 his neighbour out of existence ; and all 

 goes merrily as wedding bells in the world 

 of the pond till winter comes again. 



80 



