432 NOTES ON NEW ENGLAND BIRDS 



take the partridge long to find out how sweet its buds 

 were, and every winter day she flew and still flies from 

 the wood to pluck them, much to the farmer's sorrow. 

 The rabbit too was not slow to learn the taste of its twigs 

 and bark. The owl crept into the first one that became 

 hollow, and fairly hooted with delight, finding it just 

 the place for him. He settled down into it, and has 

 remained there ever since. The lackey caterpillar sad- 

 dled her eggs on the very first twig that was formed, 

 and it has since divided her affections with the wild 

 cherry; and the canker-worm also in a measure aban- 

 doned the elm to feed on it. And when the fruit was 

 ripe, the squirrel half carried, half rolled, it to his hole, 

 and even the musquash crept up the bank and greedily 

 devoured it ; and when it was frozen and thawed, the 

 crow and jay did not disdain to peck it. And the 

 beautiful wood duck, having made up her mind to stay 

 a while longer with us, has concluded that there is no 

 better place for her too. 



Aug. 28, 1860. There was no prolonged melody of 

 birds on the summit of Monadnock. They for the most 

 part emitted sounds there more in harmony with the 

 silent rocks, — a faint chipping or chinking, often some- 

 what as of two stones struck together. 



Sept. 1, 1860. See how artfully the seed of a cherry 

 is placed in order that a bird may be compelled to 

 transport it. It is placed in the very midst of a tempting 

 pericarp, so that the creature that would devour a cherry 

 must take a stone into its mouth. The bird is bribed 

 with the pericarp to take the stone with it and do this 

 little service for Nature. Cherries are especially birds' 



