A NEW FOREST FLY. 15 



with an inspection of my dogs' collars, when, in doing 

 so, from behind Malwood's long ear I took a fine 

 athletic New Forest fly. " Oh, ho ! " I cried in glee ; 

 " now for an entomological experiment ! I'll intro- 

 duce my winged countryman to a French cab-horse, 

 and watch the effect." Proud of the acquisition, I 

 showed my prisoner to my companions of the voyage, 

 with nearly all of whom I was on jolly terms. In 

 my fly my coloured friend took great interest ; and, 

 had not we had other things to look to, I believe that 

 I should have headed a procession of all nations to 

 see my insect hawk swoop upon his first French 

 quarry, and to observe the enlivening consequences. 

 Oh ! what fun it would have been ! What hissings, 

 oaths, and rattling *^ r's " the driver would have 

 uttered ! My thirst for experiment was, alas ! 

 thwarted. My dogs fell into " untenty " hands, and 

 in grasping at their couples the fly escaped, and, 

 instead of flying to land, wheeled round my hat, and 

 then flew down into the saloon — I suppose to take 

 his passage back. 



Having whiled away some of the time spent in 

 waiting for water enough to take us into the docks, 

 and enjoyed the inestimable blessings of fresh air and 

 the beautiful prospect afforded by the now sunlit and 

 deep blue sea which washed the shores of, to me, a 



