1 86 Marsh. 



may be seen sporting with their greater and lesser black- 

 backed relations, the herring gull and little gull joining in 

 the sport, or, intent on business, carefully fishing along the 

 river side. Then, too, the buzzard and woodcock may be 

 noticed, whilst in the winter evenings the wild duck falls 

 noisily into the cool silent pool, accompanied, perchance, by 

 the bean goose and the brent goose, and there, lulled by 



" The ripple washing in the reeds" 



I 



they remain until the first grey streak of dawn awakens 

 them to the pleasures and duties of another day. 



But this is a lovely afternoon in June, and in the copse 

 hard by we can still hear the cuckoo crying his name to all 

 the hills around, whilst the turtledove purrs her love-song 

 in the elm, and the nightingale and blackcap warble their 

 delightful melodies. There the swift skims rapidly along, 

 and the wagtail also helps to remind us that winter is far, 

 far away ; for all these charming visitors leave us and wing 

 their way to softer and sunnier climes before the cold hand 

 of winter is laid upon the landscape. 



Directly behind us lies the little village of Cliffe, a quiet, 

 dreamy old place, in which one may vegetate for a time in 

 comfort and quietude. To the east and west runs the most 

 northerly ridge of chalk belonging to the North Downs, its 

 direction clearly marked by the row of smoky chimneys be- 

 longing to the cement factories that are scattered along its 

 route. It extends far beyond Gravesend, which, although 

 only a few miles distant, is now almost hidden by the haze 

 caused by the filthy exhalations from these chimneys, and 

 passing through Northfleet and Green hithe, terminates near 

 Dartford. From the base of the hills to the river the ground 



