IV 
WATER-LILIES 
THE inconstant April mornings drop show- 
ers or sunbeams over the glistening lake, while 
far beneath its surface a murky mass disen- 
gages itself from the muddy bottom and rises 
slowly through the waves. The tasselled alder 
branches droop above it ; the last year’s black- 
bird’s nest swings over it in the grapevine ; the 
newly opened Hepaticas and Epigzeas on the 
neighboring bank peer down modestly to look 
for it ; the water-skater (Gerris) passes on the 
surface near it, casting on the shallow bottom 
the odd shadow of his feet, like three pairs of 
boxing-gloves; the Notonecta, or water-boat- 
man, rows round and round it, sometimes on 
his breast, sometimes on his back; queer cad- 
dis-worms trail their self-made homesteads of 
leaves or twigs beside it; the Dytiscus, dor- 
bug of the water, blunders clumsily against it ; 
the tadpole wriggles his stupid way to it, and 
rests upon it, meditating of future frogdom ; the 
passing wild duck dives and nibbles at it ; the 
mink and muskrat brush it with their soft fur ; 
