THE CANADA GROUSE. 113 



in contemplation, we were suddenly and violently aroused 

 from our revery by a tremendous crashing of branches 

 behind us, and on looking round we saw a venerable 

 giant of the forest come tumbling down from its exalted 

 position, and fall prone to the earth with a loud thud, 

 amidst a shower of leaves and boughs. 



" That giant has run his race, and must now moulder 

 like common mortals," exclaimed my companion, medi- 

 tatively. " I wonder what causes these trees to fall 

 when there is no wind blowing! " 



I explained to him that trees were governed by the 

 same law as everything else in nature, and fell and died 

 from old age as much as man did. 

 • " But they don't die suddenly of apoplexy, as that one 

 apparently did," he naively replied. 



I remarked that if old trees were deprived of rain for 

 any length of time the roots become dry and brittle, 

 and furnish no sustenance to the trunk and branches; 

 but that the foliage absorbed moisture from the air, often 

 to the amount of hundreds of pounds, and, as none of 

 this went to the roots, the extra strain was too much 

 for them to bear, and they gave away suddenly, and 

 hurled the proud monarch of the forest to the ground in 

 a moment, just as the snapping of the cords of the heart 

 would kill a human being. 



" Well, " said he, "I never could before understand 

 why trees fell on fine days, but now I can, and I wonder 

 I never thought of it." 



"We had better move after that terrier," said I, "or 

 we shall not bag enough birds to make half a dinner." 



" All right! " was the answer; "but I think we ought 

 to take all game as it comes along. Suppose we try still 

 hunting?" 



As this idea suited me very well, we crossed the 

 meadow, towards the ocean, and on entering the woods 

 a fawn, about a year old, jumped up not ten feet away 



