40 NATURAL HISTORY 



are three considerable lakes, Hogmer, 

 Cranmcr, and Wolmer; all of which are 

 stocked with carp, tench, eels, and 

 perch : but the fish do not thrive well, 

 because the water is hungry, and the 

 bottoms are a naked sand. 



A circumstance respecting these ponds, 

 though by no means peculiar to them, I 

 cannot pass over in silence ; and that is, 

 that instinct by which in Summer all the 

 kine, whether oxen, cows, calves, or 

 heifers, retire constantly to the water dur- 

 ing the hotter hours ; where, being more 

 exempt from flies, and inhaling the cool- 

 ness of that element, some belly deep, 

 and some only to mid-leg, they ruminate 

 and solace themselves from about ten in 

 the morning till four in the afternoon, 

 and then return to their feedino:. Durinir 

 this great proportion of the day they drop 

 much dung, in which insects nestle ; and 

 so supply food for the fish, which would 

 be poorly subsisted but from this contin- 

 gency. Thus Nature, who is a great 



