MAY. 105 



sively on insects ; but its chief service is its domineering 

 disposition : it attacks crows, hawks^, and even eagles; and as 

 its powers of flight are sufficient to secure its own safety, it 

 makes a bold and fearless assault, and with such success as 

 effectually to drive any bird of these kinds from its vicinity. 



Now draw in your horse a moment, and look at the pro- 

 spect from this hill : yonder white building is the Metho- 

 dist church, which, with its high tower surmounted by a 

 cupola, is a conspicuous object, and, together with the hand- 

 some dwelling-houses near it, agreeably contrasts with the 

 dark woods at the back : here in front are the fields just 

 putting on the verdant livery of spring ; behind, and to the 

 right, we see a silver sheet of water, smiling as peacefully as 

 if its surface had never been ruffled by a storm ; that is 

 Lake Masuippi. From its very edge rise steep and high 

 mountains, shagged with wood to the summits; and the 

 whole picture is finished by the blue and distant hills of Ver- 

 mont ; hills of all shapes, mountain rising beyond mountain, 

 as far as the eye can see. This hill to the left hides Charles- 

 ton village from our sight, which is not more than two or 

 three miles distant. But let us go on. 



C. — I observe by the roadside the young leaves of the 

 thistle are appearing. 



jF. — The sprouting of this plant, the Canada Thistle 

 f Cnicus ArvensisJ I noticed about a week ago. It is one 

 of the most pestiferous weeds that are found amongst us, and 

 has of late years increased so rapidly as to become an object 

 of considerable alarm among farmers. It springs up among 

 the grain crops, and its sharp spines are so formidable as to 

 cause great difficulty in reaping grain in which the thistle is 

 growing. It spreads rapidly too in grass lands. 



C. — But is there no way to eradicate it ? 



