SPRING AT THE CAPITAL 



WITH AN EYE TO THE BIRDS 



T CA^IE to Washington to live in the fall of 

 -*- 1863, and, with the exception of a month each 

 summer spent in the interior of New York, have 

 lived here ever since. 



I saw my first novelty in Natural History the 

 day after my arrival. As I was walking near some 

 woods north of the city, a grasshopper of prodigious 

 size flew up from the ground and alighted in a tree. 

 As I pursued him, he proved to be nearly as wild 

 and as fleet of wing as a bird. I thought I had 

 reached the capital of grasshopperdom, and that this 

 was perhaps one of the chiefs or leaders, or perhaps 

 the great High Cock O'lorum himself, taking an 

 airing in the fields. I have never yet been able to 

 settle the question, as every fall I start up a few of 

 these gigantic specimens, which perch on the trees. 

 They are about three inches long, of a gray striped 

 or spotted color, and have quite a reptile look. 



The greatest novelty I found, however, was the 

 superb autumn weather, the bright, strong, electric 

 days, lasting well into November, and the general 



