198 The Alps in September. 



same gradual manner ? I cannot yet answer this 

 question, nor is it likely that I shall ever be able 

 to witness the arrival of the Susten Pipits as I 

 witnessed their departure ; but I contrived in the 

 course of a week in these regions to set a few 

 intelligent natives in an inquiring mood with 

 regard to these matters, and it is possible that 

 next spring may bring me some scraps of useful 

 information. At present I am content to remem- 

 ber that Mr. Knox, in the passage just now 

 referred to, was the first . to discover that the 

 arrival and departure of our English species are 

 not performed in exactly the same manner. 



We saw nothing of special ornithological interest 

 in the melancholy Meienthal, which leads down 

 from the Susten to the St. Gotthard railway at 

 Wasen ; but I was reminded of a passage in my 

 third chapter (p. 83) when we arrived at the first 

 considerable pasture, and found a whole commu- 

 nity of men, women, children, cows, and goats, on 

 the very point of migrating from their cool and 

 healthy summer home. The cows were all gathered 

 in front of the * Sennhiitten,' and when doors and 

 windows had been made fast for the winter, all the 



