ROUND ABOUT A SPRING. 



57 



the abundant animal life a naturalness that 

 would otherwise be wanting. 



And not only about the springs, but in them, 

 often choking the channels until little lakes are 

 formed, are found many plants that know no 

 summer of growth and then a long interval of 

 rest. The conditions of the season are too near- 

 ly alike, and while in winter there is less increase, 

 growth never entirely ceases, and certainly the 

 bright green of the delicate foliage is never dulled. 

 Anacharis, or water-weed, I find in profusion at 

 all the larger springs ; if not, then callitriche, or 

 water-starwort. The latter is as delicate as the 

 finer ferns, and often conceals much of the water 

 in which it grows, as it has both floating and 

 submerged leaves. 



In both these plants fish, frogs, and salaman- 

 ders and large aquatic insects congregate, and 

 are so effectually hidden that when standing on 

 the side of the spring basin a person is not likely 

 to see any living thing, and if the spirit of investi- 

 gation does not move him he will go away think- 

 ing animal life is hibernating, for so indeed it is 

 set down in many books. But it does not always 

 do to plunge the hand in among the weeds, and 

 so try to land whatever may be tangled in the 

 mass you pull ashore. Some of the insects resent 

 such interference by biting severely the water- 

 boatmen, or Notonectcs, for instance and they 



