A SECLUDED CORNER. 185 



turn to beautiful shades of crimson and gold ; but, if 

 there has been a drought, then they are merely browned 

 and soon drop. In either case, it is in October, and not 

 until then, that we fully realize the summer is past. 

 With, this change, there comes another quite as marked 

 in the animal life. The few birds that remain change 

 their habits materially, while the many summer sojourn- 

 ers seek a sunnier clime. The birds that went northward 

 in May now return, and after tarrying a few days pass 

 on to the south ; and late in the month arctic and semi- 

 arctic birds come among us to remain during the winter. 

 In our secluded corner, however, there too comes a 

 change that I am ever ready to greet with gladness. The 

 hollow maple, that throughout the summer has securely 

 housed a family of short-eared owls, now gives us evi- 

 dence of the fact, by dropping the leafy screen that hid 

 them well from view. While the young were yet babies 

 the old tree shielded them well now they are able to 

 shift for themselves, and the tree offers them shelter, but 

 nothing more. With the departure of the sunlight the 

 owls are all astir, and it is funny enough to see them. 

 Of a single owl but little can be said; but before the 

 family separates, and while the young are receiving their 

 lessons in mouse-hunting, it becomes very evident, first, 

 that owls are great talkers ; and secondly, that they are 

 decidedly intelligent. I was impressed with these facts 

 during a pleasant moonlight evening last October, when, 

 having taken my stand to watch the owls, I saw the 

 whole family of six as they came from their nest in the 

 tree. The old birds first appeared, flew directly toward 

 the meadow and disappeared in the long grass. Soon 

 the four young birds made their appearance, but only to 

 creep cautiously along the limbs of the tree, and then set- 

 tle themselves, in a lazy, mufned-up manner, as though 



