OFSELBORNE, 23 
calves, or heifers, retire conftantly to the water during the hotter 
hours; where, being more exempt from flies, and inhaling the cool- 
nefs of that element, fome belly deep, and fome only to mid-leg, they 
ruminate and folace themfelves from about ten in the morning till 
four in the afternoon, and then return to their feeding. During 
this great proportion of the day they drop much dung, in which 
infedls neftle ; and fo fupply food for the fifh, which would be poorly 
fubfifted but from this contingency. Thus Nature, who is a great 
economift, converts the recreation of one animal to the fupport 
of another ! Thonifon, who was a nice obferver of natural occur- 
rences, did not let this pleafmg circumftance efcape him. He 
fays, in his Summer, 
" A various group the herds and flocks compofe : 
«« ■■ on the gralTy bank 
** Some ruminating lie ; while others ftand 
" Half in the flood, and, often bending, fip 
The circling furface," 
fVolmer-pond, {o caWcd, I fuppofe, for eminence fake, is a vaff 
lake for this part of the world, containing, in it's whole circumfe- 
rence, 2646 yards, or very near a mile and an half. The length 
of the north-weft and oppofite fide is about 704 yards, and the 
breadth of the fouth -weft end about 456 yards. This meafure- 
ment, which I caufed to be made with good cxactnefs, gives an 
area of about fixty-fix acres, exclufive of a large irregular arm at the 
north-eaft corner, which we did not take into the reckoning. 
On the face of this expanfe of waters, and perfectly fecure from 
fowlers, lie all day long, in the winter feafon, vaft flocks of ducks, 
teals, and wigeons, of various denominations ; where they preen 
and folace, and reft themfelves, till towards fun-fet, when they 
ifliie forth in little parties (for in their natural ftate they are all 
birds 
