THE BLACK COCK. 155 



There is now on all sides an awakening ; there is a 

 hum in the water, and in the air, and in the woods, at 

 first low and indistinct and tremulous, but gradually 

 growing in volume, and becoming stable and definite. 

 Now a snipe calls, and now a covey of partridges in 

 fluttering flight whirr by. There is a sound of waters 

 everywhere oozing, yet rather felt than heard, it is so 

 low and stealthy — not separate, but mixing with, and 

 part of, the murmur of Nature around. 



The blackness is changing into a confused grey; — 

 but hark ! — there is a fluttering and a rush of mngs, 

 which tells most surely that a cock has come to the 

 trysting place. And now another rushing of pinions 

 and the same low ^' cluck ! cluck ! " as before. You 

 look through the branches of your hut in the direction 

 whence the sound proceeds and peer into the gloaming. 

 But it is not yet possible to distinguish anything. 

 However you hear the rush and the flutter of new 

 comers : you hear, too, the half cooing half clucking 

 tones they utter, rising and falling by turns, as they 

 give expression to their passionate longing. Then fol- 

 lows a sudden and rapid beating of wings, and quick and 

 sharp angry duckings ; for the joust has already begun, 

 and they are fighting wrathfully. 



How you long to see what is going on and to behold 

 the manoeuvres which you well know that fluttering 

 betokens ! And now they are clucking quite near, and 



