202 THE FRIENDSHIP OF NATURE 



winter only can alarm us. " The honey- 

 suckle blooms unconcerned, a pear tree 

 holds fresh sprouts and a spray of 

 blossoms, and as if mating this freak 

 in the animal world, two humming- 

 birds pause to rest on the trellis. 

 Where are they from? Their flocks 

 passed away in the middle of Septem- 

 ber. Have they lost their almanac, and 

 do they think aphides and honey will 

 hold out through their long journey? 



The kingfishers and blue herons are 

 about, and the larks are stalking 

 through the beach meadows. In cross- 

 ing a rough hillside, covered by dwarf 

 sumachs and briers, a brown thrush 

 unearthed, in scratching, some of the 

 leathery shells of the eggs of the black 

 snake. He pecked at them uncon- 

 sciously, not dreaming that from them 

 had emerged a tribe of his chief 

 enemies. 



