THE TEAL AND GARGANEY 2ii 



mouse-like creatures ; but she manages to bring 

 them bundling along, in any rut, drain, or cart-track, 

 her nimble little brood following closely in her wake. 

 If seen, as she sometimes is, no harm comes to her, 

 it being the universal belief that those who wantonly 

 injure innocent creatures will surely come to harm 

 of some kind, either sooner or later. 



Here is a bog covered with grass tussocks and 

 alders, not a floating bog, but a spongy one. It is 

 on the slope of the hill-side, and at its upper end 

 you can get about without getting wet-footed. Close 

 by its side runs a rough cart-track, stone-littered and 

 heather-patched ; so little, in fact, is it used, that the 

 heather has even grown over the cart-wheel ruts. 

 Rabbits are numerous, and that is why some object, 

 which has come from the bog and gone into the 

 rut some distance above, is taken to be one of these 

 animals, and is not. further noticed. 



While I stand thinking about wild life in general, 

 and nothing in particular, a faint noise very like 

 that made by young ducks reaches my ear. What 

 can it be ? Young weasels ? No, it is not their 

 time. The noise gets nearer. Cautiously looking 

 up a straight bit of the cart-rut, I can see a brown 

 bird coming, and followed by what looks like a lot 

 of mice. The bird has seen me. One or two small 

 quacks are given, then she stretches her head and 

 neck on the ground and flaps with her wings as 

 much as the confined space of the rut allows her. I 

 do not go too near, lest the little ones should hurt 

 themselves ; some of them are trying to get out of 



