290 FACT AGAINST FICTION. 



I have lately liacl a fir-tree smitten by the 

 lightning, and, curious enough, after running 

 from tlie top of the tree to the bottom, and 

 severing the bark, the lightning glanced off, but, 

 not entering the ground at the foot of the tree, 

 passed down the carriage-drive close to a boy, 

 and exj^loded with a noise like a gun on the 

 ground very near the house. The electricity in 

 the same storm struck so near to a coop containing 

 a barn-door hen and a brood of young pheasants, 

 that, without absolutely touching either, it killed 

 some of the young birds and prostrated others, 

 though several of the latter recovered. 



Change, except in Parliament, where all has 

 seemed convulsive, comes on gradually, — so 

 much so as to be almost imperceptible to the 

 human eye and brain, because the mind of man 

 gets used to succeeding novelties, and aA^oids 

 surprise through the means of an almost imper- 

 ceptible gradation. 



To return to the ornithological tlieme, and 

 to the interests of the birds of game as well 

 as to that of the proprietor of the manor, 

 the following facts ouglit to be taken into con- 

 sideration. Witli this change from succeeding 



