244 -An English Stream. 



The ground rises slightly higher on the margins, and 

 gives the idea that the water has had more work than 

 elsewhere in cutting a course for itself through this 

 part, and now exults in its reward ; for, not only is the 

 place most beautiful, but it abounds, more than we have 

 yet seen, in life of various kinds. The wild ducks are 

 fond of paying this part a visit at certain times, and the 

 heron, in the still of the evening, will come and stand 

 like a veritable wisp of foam in the swifter currents, 

 under the shade of fir tree or beech ; coots and dab- 

 chicks appear and disappear in the oddest and most 

 arbitrary manner, while we now get tokens in many 

 forms of the presence of voles, water-rats, and water- 

 shrews. Wherever you have sedges, flags, and irises, 

 there is a chance of finding water-voles, for they are 

 very fond of these, as we have said already; and 

 wherever there is such a margin as to afford at places 

 the kind of aquatic insects that lie half concealed under 

 little stones, you are almost sure to see signs of the 

 water-shrew if you look close enough. As for the 

 water-rat, he is everywhere, and cunningly takes advan- 

 tage of the presence of almost everything else, to make 

 himself fat and comfortable. And he is a rare swimmer 

 too. On this account he is often mistaken for the water 

 vole by those who do not watch long, though he swims 

 differently in various respects. 



This character of scenery prevails for a considerable 

 distance — the streamside forming a most delightful 

 walk, so delightful that advantage has been taken to 

 lay out a rough sort of path, not seldom the resort of 

 lovers at the sweet eventide, when everything — earth 

 and air, sky and water — seems to be in harmony with 

 the whispers they use to impart to each other the 

 "open secrets," which poets are never tired of cele- 



