To Mountain Tarn 



warren of the rabbit, the remote form of the 

 hare, the squirrel's haunt in windy beech or 

 elm, the woodmouse under the sorrel among 

 the woodland shadows are picturesque ; but 

 among rodents no environment is quite so fresh 

 and charming as that of the water vole on 

 the stream bank. And this lade is specially 

 charming for the number and purity of its 

 flowers. 



So the diet is varied among the plants that 

 grow there. Delightful changes, pleasant or 

 piquant flavours are found by shifting just a little 

 up or down. Only ignorance can charge with 

 any disturbance of the stream life. The shiest 

 trout moves not from its poise as the vole swims 

 past. The true culprit, if mischief be done, we 

 may surprise by and by. 



A fourth is on a moist raft of water crowfoot, 

 moored midway between bank and bank. With 

 all the ease and at-homeness of a mouse picking 

 crumbs from the parlour floor, he moves from 

 place to place. His choice is dainty, his actions 

 pleasant to watch, charming are his crumbs. He 

 plucks a flower and holds it for a moment outside 

 his mouth before drawing it in. Then he crosses 

 to the next flower. So he zigzags, culling 

 flowers, and only flowers. And when at length 

 he dives from the edge, the platform he found 

 starred is a mass of dull weeds. Nor is this the 

 whim of one alone. Wherever voles are on a 



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