September 



From the middle of June to the middle of 

 September the advantages of the Park (and of 

 any other locality similarly circumstanced) for 

 the naturalist are slight. Indeed, one is likely 

 to see more there in mid-winter than in mid- 

 summer. For, although the number of winter 

 species is quite inconsiderable as compared 

 with those of summer under equally favorable 

 circumstances, yet such a spot as the Park is a 

 favorite one in the coldest weather, not only on 

 account of the abundance and variety of trees, 

 shrubs, and flowering plants affording varied 

 nutriment in their store of insects, larvae, seeds, 

 and berries, but because of the quiet that pre- 

 vails at that season, when pleasure-grounds are 

 free from the throng of promenaders and the 

 shouts of children, and afford that repose of 

 nature without which birds can hardly be in- 

 duced to frequent any locality, however at- 

 tractive in other respects. As warm weather 

 approaches, and the walks in all directions be- 

 come little better than public thoroughfares, 

 and often quite as noisy, the most of the birds 

 very wisely withdraw to more sequestered 

 places, and the current of life runs low until 

 it expands again in the fall. During this peri- 

 od one can find in the Ramble little else than 



2SS 



