October 



Whoever has missed September and October 

 life in the country, among the hills and farms, 

 has lost some of the most delightful and charac- 

 teristic scenes of all the year. 



The power of ventriloquism possessed by 

 many birds is often remarked upon. It would 

 seem to be an unconscious effort on their part ; 

 at least, we can hardly suppose that its exercise 

 is prompted by any prudential motive, as if to 

 mislead the hearer in order to their own safety, 

 for this purpose would be better served by abso- 

 lute silence. But whatever induces it, the ef- 

 fect is often thoroughly deceptive, and probably 

 every field ornithologist has been amused and 

 aggravated by unsuccessful attempts to locate 

 the origin of bird-notes. 



A striking instance of this power, as possessed 

 by the pinnated grouse or prairie hen, is cited 

 by Wilson, who says that its tone, when pro- 

 duced within a few rods of the listener, has the 

 effect of a voice a mile or two distant. A pe- 

 culiar and rather annoying instance of the same 

 sort came under my own observation this sum- 

 mer. In passing along a highway bordered by 

 a fresh clearing where a few trees here and 

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