GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS 431 



top, by the snow strewn with scales, literally blackened 

 or darkened with them for a rod. And now, about the 

 hill in front of Smith's, I see where the quails have run 

 along the roadside, and can count the number of the 

 bevy better than if I saw them. Are they not peculiar 

 in this, as compared with partridges, — that they run 

 in company, while at this season I see but [one] or two 

 partridges together? 



Jan. 22, 1860. Birds are commonly very rare in the 

 winter. They are much more common at some times 

 than at others. I see more tree sparrows in the begin- 

 ning of the winter (especially when snow is falling) than 

 in the course of it. I think that by observation I could 

 tell in what kind of weather afterward these were most 

 to be seen. Crows come about houses and streets in 

 very cold weather and deep snows, and they are heard 

 cawing in pleasant, thawing winter weather, and their 

 note is then a pulse by which you feel the quality of the 

 air, i. e., when cocks crow. For the most part, lesser 

 redpolls and pine grosbeaks do not appear at all. Snow 

 buntings are very wandering. They were quite numer- 

 ous a month ago, and now seem to have quit the town. 

 They seem to ramble about the country at will. 



Jan. 29, 1860. Not only the Indian, but many wild 

 birds and quadrupeds and insects, welcomed the apple 

 tree to these shores. As it grew apace, the bluebird, 

 robin, cherry-bird, kingbird, and many more came with 

 a rush and built their nests in it, and so became orchard- 

 birds. The woodpecker found such a savory morsel 

 under its bark that he perforated it in a ring quite round 

 the tree, a thing he had never done before. It did not 



