272 MR. C. REID ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OF ISOLATED PONDS. 
To Roast a Swan. 
“ Take three pounds of beef, beat fine in a mortar, 
Put it into the Swan— that is, when you’ve caught her ! 
Some pepper, salt, mace, some nutmeg, an onion, 
Will heighten the flavour in gourmand’s opinion. 
Then tie it up tight with a small piece of tape. 
That the gravy and other things may not escape. 
A meal paste (rather stiff) should be laid on the breast. 
And some £ whitey-hrown ’ paper should cover the rest. 
Fifteen minutes at least ere the swan you take down, 
Pull the paste off the bird that the breast may get brown.” 
The Gravy. 
“ To a gravy of beef (good and strong), I opine, 
You’ll be right if you add half a pint of good wine ; 
Pour this through the Swan— yes, quite through the belly — 
Then serve the whole up with some hot currant jelly.” 
N.B . — The Swan must not be skinned. 
III. 
ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OF ISOLATED PONDS. 
By Clement Reid, F.L.S., F.G.S. 
Read 26tli January , 1892. 
The successive faunas and floras that have inhabited this country 
during times which, geologically speaking, are quite modern, 
convince one that no truly aboriginal animals and plants are now 
to be found in Britain. Even during the life-time of existing 
species there has been a ceaseless ebb and flow across our islands. 
We find, for instance, that during the deposition of the Cromer 
Forest-bed the climate was temperate, the plants were like those 
