EXPLORATORY NOTICES FOE SEPTEMBER. 437 



the lofty hedges, offers by no means an uninteresting 

 or uninstructive spectacle. 



" The thorns and briars, vermillion hue, 



Now full of hips and haws are seen ; 

 If village prophecies be true, 



They prove that winter will be keen." * 

 It is a popular idea that an abundance of hips and 

 haws betokens a hard winter, but this is not certainly 

 true. Nevertheless, during a ramble at this period, 

 an excitement is created by the birds of various hues 

 and cries, that, attracted by the ripened fruit, are 

 revelling in the " common feast," now bounteously 

 spread around for all God's creatures. The shrill 

 short scream of the Blackbird, the harsh shriek of the 

 Jay, the chatter of the Magpie, and the solemn cawk 

 of the Rook, resound on all sides among the bushes, 

 as on diverse wing they fly off before the wanderer's 

 disturbing foot and, see ! in that fiery-tinged pear- 

 tree a flock of Fieldfares have just alighted, with disso- 

 nant cries, after their aerial sail from the shores of the 

 northmen, and the last Swallow is seen flitting sadly 

 and disconsolately over the saffron-flowered mead. 



The orchards in the cider and perry counties are 

 now ripening their fruit, and the sunny side of the 

 apples streaked as with sunset clouds, or deeply 

 blushing, present a beautiful appearance to the eye, 

 whether on the acclivities of the deep valley of the 

 Teme, in "Worcestershire, or on the undulating red 

 lands of Herefordshire. The commencing autumnal 

 gales often strew the uugathered fruit upon the 

 ground, to its injury and spoliation, whence has arisen 

 an old farmer's rhyme 



" September blow soft 

 Till the Apple's in the loft." 

 * CLARE. 



