Autumn 



calling that of the mother bird who pushes 

 her young from the edge of the nest that 

 they may learn to shift for themselves. 



Many seeds are washed by water to more 

 or less remote neighborhoods. Some be- 

 come attached with clods of earth to the 

 feet of birds, and are borne to other re- 

 gions, where they thrive or perish, ac- 

 cording to their power of adapting them- 

 selves to their new environment. How 

 far this last class of travellers may journey 

 we realize especially at this season, when 

 nearly every day shows us fresh flocks of 

 birds which have come under the influ- 

 ence of that strange power which moves 

 them " to stretch their wings toward the 

 South," bringing them (even the more 

 timid species) this morning to our very 

 doorstep in search of food, inducing them 

 to-night to resume a voyage which may 

 terminate only in the tropics. 



Each walk abroad brings up new ques- 

 tions for settlement. The last is one of 



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