FLY-FISHING BY NIGHTLIGHT. 193 
They still indeed make good their claims to mytho- 
logical origin, and make us almost fancy that Pan 
and Syrinx are whispering their loves amongst the 
leaves. But the pleasant music of the Pandean 
orchestra is soon interrupted by an outburst of angry 
voices from the aquatic birds, which love, feed, and 
flap about in these reedy coverts by night. The poor 
things are obviously angry at our untimely intrusion. 
If their strength and unanimity were indeed equal to 
their indignation and numbers, they might jeopardise 
our further progress to the fishing-ground. The simple 
peasant, impressed by the stillness and darkness of 
night, might be almost excused for confounding the 
wild variety of their cries, colours, and movements 
with those of the enchanted beings which he believes 
to inhabit the depths of the lake. Pat is not at all 
convinced that these nocturnal sounds are emitted 
by the gentle social tribes of waterfowl that hover 
over, or make their toilet on, the glassy surface of the 
lake during the day. For the peculiar habits of one 
section of the family it is not so easy to account. The 
group consists of a number of small gulls, which 
hover overhead in the wake of the boat, and pursue 
it for miles in whatever direction it takes. "Whether 
actuated by love, fear, or hope of prey, the voices of 
the aérial choir produce one of the wildest and most 
mournful of “ Notturnos.” It might well serve as a 
dirge for one of Ossian’s heroes, Pat solves the prob- 
0 
