A DECEMBER RAMBLE 327 



climatic conditions one could possibly wish for, 

 more especially in view of a memorable year of 

 deluge within my recollection. 



During December it is enjoyable to ramble 

 through one of the parks of some estimable country 

 gentleman, and there observe and admire a fine 

 herd of Red and Fallow Deer, the former of which 

 are admirably portrayed in the stereo-photograph 

 in this volume. 



During the past Summer, by the way, I had the 

 privilege of observing several Kangaroos, some 

 Emus and Cassowaries, and a little colony of 

 Prairie Marmots perfectly free and roaming at 

 liberty in an English park; but they seemed 

 strangely out of their element, and I was cer- 

 tainly of the same opinion as my gamekeeper 

 friend who accompanied me when he observed 

 that a herd of Red or Fallow Deer would be more 

 ornamental to this noble park than the foreign 

 introductions above mentioned! 



Rambling across the park, one notices flocks 

 of Rooks, Jackdaws, and Starlings, all harmoni- 

 ously congregated together; little colonies of 

 ever-increasing Rabbits frolicking and gambol- 

 ling in the tempting Winter sunlight; whilst a 

 stray Heron or Carrion Crow sailing majestically 

 over the topmost branches of some giant leafless 

 Beech trees adds a note of picturesqueness to the 

 scene before us. On the grass — and especially if 



