86 The Pond-Meadow. 



night .to hear the bitterns and the whippoorwills. I built 

 perches or roosts in the trees, from whence I might see 

 across the pond-meadow, or climbing upon the trestle, 

 watched the life that abounded in the creek and the grass 

 below. 



When seated mid the large beams that composed the 

 trestle that stretched far in the distance, I used to feel very 

 small indeed, and I was often reminded as I sunned myself 

 there, of the traveller's story of the Egyptian in the ear of 

 the Sphinx. I quickly found that I was placed in an 

 unusual position, and might watch the many creatures 

 below me unobserved by them, and thus to good advantage 

 to myself. 



The muskrats are numerous in the creek, and in the 

 ditches, dug on either side of the trestle, probably for the 

 dual purpose of drainage and protection from meadow 

 fires. In making these trenches the earth was thrown up 

 in piles, and these, when suitable, are taken possession of 

 by the muskrats, who tunneling them find dry retreats 

 above the highest tides. Occasionally at twilight, the parent 

 muskrats bring their half grown young out to swim, and 

 the family go paddling up and down the ditch. One of 

 the musquashes will sometimes call continuously, in a low 

 somewhat musical strain to his mate, and whenever they 

 come near each other, they will touch noses, which no 

 doubt in muskrat etiquette signifies great affection, as it 

 does in some African tribes. The muskrat's pappoose is a 

 very independent individual, and his wilful ways, when he 

 has reached a certain size, cause his mother much anxiety. 

 She swims after him, and rat minor goes where he lists. 



