136 WILD-FOWL AND SEA-FOWL OF GREAT BRITAIN 



with lurid light. A thunder-storm has passed over 

 without breaking, although passing near enough to 

 leave behind it huge cloud-banks whose edges are 

 lit by the setting sun. The surface of the mere is, 

 as is usually the case when rain is near, a perfect 

 mirror. The wooded hill, and the old farm in the 

 hollow at the bottom, with the thin, blue wood- 

 smoke curling through the trees above, and the 

 long reed and flag-belts backed by the grey-leaved, 

 stunted willows and alders, and the great docks and 

 the rush-sheaves — all these are reflected in the water 

 below perfectly. Such a picture as this may some- 

 times be seen before a storm, but more frequently 

 after one has passed over, leaving all things in a 

 state of perfect rest and quietness. On the surface 

 of the mere float large patches of gr^en and yellow 

 weeds, and rush-stems spring up here and there, 

 and the broad leaves of the water-lilies can also be 

 seen just beyond the floating reed-patches. These 

 almost hide a large alder-stem which has gone 

 down in the water, for the simple reason that the 

 bog mould gradually sank away from all its roots. 

 One or two of its branches show just above the 

 water, covered with grey moss, and that is all. The 

 light comes from behind, so that my glasses will 

 tell me what birds show on the open parts of the 

 water just outside the reed-belt. A few ducks are 

 spattering about ; they are nesting somewhere on 

 the tussocks that rise high and dry above the 

 swamps, but they do not interest me much, I have 

 seen them about before. 



