SNAKES AND BOTANIZING. 61 



portion of our time with Lady Moss-Green that 

 she does not bestow a precious souvenir to 

 mark the occasion. 



The little child who was with me, closer to 

 the ground than I, saw yet more. 



"Look! Look!" she said, in a voice where 

 fear predominated. 



It was a land-tortoise, its head protruded, 

 hissing industriously. Very snakelike in ap- 

 pearance, its slow gait precluded fear. With 

 a compliment to his pretty, crimson-tinted cara- 

 pace, we hurried on, doubtless much to the 

 peace of his lordship. 



"Do YOU ever meet any snakes when you are 

 botanizing?" 



I had invited a friend to be my companion 

 on one of my trips to the woods, and we were 

 bowling along the smooth road, the fertile fields 

 on either hand, the soft breeze gently fanning 

 us as we progressed toward our destination. 



"Once," I answered, "as I stole up to a little 

 stream which issued from a spring in the hill- 

 side, I looked across the fence and saw a tiny 

 water-snake disporting in the crystal fluid. ' ' 



"I don't call that anything," she inter- 

 rupted, for she loved to 'talk, and had bigger 

 stories than mine to relate. ' ' Dear me I I kaew 



