224 Sure-footed Sheep. 



lake, which came in on them, slowly forming 

 pools. 



These are now bordered by aquatic grasses, and 

 from their depths ever}^ now and then the newts 

 come up to the surface. In the sand precipices are 

 small round holes worked out by the martins — there 

 must be scores of them. Where narrow terraces 

 atford access to four-footed creatures, the rabbits, 

 too, have dug out larger caves ; some of them rise 

 upwards, and open on the field above, several yards 

 from the edge of the cliff. The sheep sometimes 

 climb up by these ledges ; they are much more active 

 than they appear to be, and give the impression that 

 in their native state the}' must have rivalled the 

 goats. The lambs play about in dangerous-looking 

 places without injury : the onl}' risk seems to be of 

 their coming unexpectedly on the cliff from above ; 

 if they begin from below they are safe. A wood- 

 pigeon may frequently be found in the quarry — 

 sometimes in the pits, sometimes on the ledges high 

 up — and the goldfinches visit it for the abundant 

 thistledown. 



Between the excavated hollow and the lake there 

 is but a narrow bank of stone and sand overgrown 

 with sward ; and, reclining there, the eye travels 

 over the broad expanse of water, almost level with 

 it, as one might look along a gun-barrel. Yonder 

 the roan cattle are in the water up to their knees ; 

 the light air ripples the surface, and the sunshine 

 playing on the wavelets glistens so brilliantly that 

 the e^'e can scarcely bear it ; and the cattle ponder 

 dreamily, standing in a flood of liquid gold. 



A path running from Wick across the fields to the 



