MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS 167 



four strokes with the wings; these are then 

 closed and pressed tightly to the sides, and the 

 bird shoots forward with the legs trailing behind. 

 After travelling about two feet the flight is 

 repeated. On other occasions, when not hurried, 

 it appears to walk in the water with a high- 

 stepping action. 



After five years disuse my ponds no longer 

 exist. The observation pond in the garden of 

 the old house at Ipswich has been partially filled 

 up, and grows water-lilies. The pond by the 

 Corporation waterworks was destroyed in case a 

 German spy should hide in the observation 

 chamber ; and the wooden tank on the controlled 

 stream has fallen in, and the plate-glass has been 

 sold for the benefit of a local charity. I shall 

 probably make another observation pond when 

 labour and the cost of material have become 

 normal. In case, however, any of my readers 

 should feel inclined to make a pond and observe 

 for themselves some of the appearances I have 

 recorded, I will describe the most economical 

 method of constructing a pond for general 

 observation. 



Do not attempt a pond unless a plentiful 



