480 THE MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE. 



Of golden foliage bright above the plain — 

 The homeward landmarks for the weary swain. 



While beauty far and near attracts our gaze, 

 The leaves are whirling in our pleasant ways ; — 

 The first few dying leaves that come to tell 

 The fate of all things loved and valued well. 

 'Tis the last month of foliage and perfume : 

 Soon will the leaves be gathered to the tomb : 

 Soon will the breath of Winter blight them all. 

 But lo ! they change and brighten ere they fall, 

 And perish beauteously. Thus daylight dies, 

 And leads on evening with diviner skies ; 

 When all celestial glories are unfurled, 

 And Heaven's own mantle rests upon the world. 



Thus nature soothes the sorrows that attend 

 Our hearts, when summer's gifts and blessings end ; 

 By showing forth a bright and glorious scene- 

 Fairer than all the beauteous past hath been. 

 With every change of season she presents 

 The landscape drest in new habiliments. 

 While spring and summer tarry, earth is seen 

 Clad in a varied robe of living green, 

 Besprinkled with the violet and the rose : 

 But ere she veils her charms in winter snows. 

 She crowns the woods with tints as fair as spring. 

 And gives the hues of flowers to every fading thing. 



No. VII [. On the Plumage of Birds. 



It is a general opinion that the colors of the plumage of 

 birds are not subservient to any particular end, but that they 

 are mere accidents, unattended with any advantages to the 

 feathered tribe. But it seems very unreasonable to suppose 

 that so important a circumstance in the economy of nature 

 should be useless or redundant. Let us inquire what was 

 the design of nature in spreading such a variety of tints upon 

 the plumage of birds, and what are the advantages they 

 derive from their ornamental dress. Do thes« gaudy colors 

 affect the vision of birds with the sensation of beauty, and 

 serve thereby to attract towards one another the individuals 

 of the same species ? Or are they designed by nature for 

 their protection from the keen sight of their enemies, while 



