LENNIE BURN. 313 



frogs seek their winter covering, and the croak of those 

 that remain dwindles into a faint treble, instead of their 

 full diapason. A touch of frost will cause all the frogs to 

 disappear, and make the top of the spawn as white as an 

 oyster. But the first warm sun and mild air brings them 

 to the surface again, and restores the spawn to its original 

 colour. It is then most curious to observe their gam- 

 bols, jumping and tumbling about like boys at leap-frog 

 and no doubt the origin of this favourite game of the 

 play-ground. After a time the frogs all leave the pool, 

 and little black eggs are formed in the spawn, which 

 gradually increase in size until little tadpoles emerge. 



But now a more interesting visitor may sometimes be 

 seen. The first burst of spring has brought into life 

 the earlier insects, and with them the subtle active 

 trout. In this little pond I have counted three; two 

 of them very small, the other about six inches long. 

 My attention was first directed to them one fine July 

 evening, when I saw what appeared to be fish rising. 

 I crept forward, and soon perceived the larger trout 

 amidst a crowd of summer insects, some buzzing about the 

 surface, and others settling upon it. He was sucking 

 them down lazily and at intervals, like a finished gour- 

 mand at a satisfactory dinner. But here the resemblance 

 ends; for, upon my stepping forward, he darted to the 

 other side of the tank, with a celerity very unlike 

 the respected gentleman aforesaid when leaving his 

 ample board. In my evening walks I seldom omitted to 

 take a peep at the little pond, and soon discovered that 



