252 Wild Lifein a Southern County. 
have dug out larger caves; some of them rise up- 
wards, and open on the field above, several yards from 
the edge of the cliff. The sheep sometimes climb up 
by these ledges; they are much more active than they 
appear to be, and give the impression that in their 
native state they must have rivalled the goats. The 
lambs play about in dangerous-looking places with- 
out injury: the only risk seems to be of their coming 
unexpectedly on the cliff from above; if they begin 
from below they are safe. A wood-pigeon may 
frequently be found in the quarry—sometimes in the 
pits, sometimes on the ledges high up—and the gold- 
finches visit it for the abundant thistledown. 
Between the excavated hollow and the lake there 
is but a narrow bank of stone and sand overgrown 
with sward ; and, reclining there, the eye travels over 
the broad expanse of water, almost level with it, as 
one might look along a gun-barrel. Yonder the roan 
cattle are in.the water up to their knees; the light air 
ripples the surface, and the sunshine playing on the 
wavelets glistens so brilliantly that the eye can scarcely 
bear it; and the cattle ponder dreamily, standing in a 
flood of liquid gold. 
A path running from Wick across the fields to the 
distant downs leads to the forest. It would be quite 
possible to pass by the edge without knowing that 
it was so near, for a few scattered trees on the hill-side 
would hardly attract attention. Nothing marks where 
the trees cease: thin, wide apart, and irregularly 
