126 AUTUMNAL LEAVES. 



towards the south and enabling us to see, as we 

 from time to time reach the crest of an upland, 

 the forestal limits to the north. Beyond these 

 the uplands are abundantly wooded, the bright 

 colour of the corn stubble and the green of the 

 meadows showing strongly against the dark green 

 forms of clustered trees. Foam- white banks of 

 cloud are massed in the blue sky and fling shadows 

 upon the forest, which, deepening the colours of the 

 spreading vegetation that clothes its surface, brings 

 out into stronger relief the spaces of Heather, 

 Gorse and Brake upon which the sun shines. The 

 motion of the wind too, drifting the clouds across 

 the sky and swaying the surface of the far-reaching 

 green, gives play and variety to a scene, which 

 even when still, is of exceeding beauty. The 

 almost golden green of the grass which carpets the 

 forest tracks shows up strongly against the 

 sombre hue of the untrodden moor. As the sun 

 shines upon adjoining Oaks the heads of these 

 monarchs of the forest are burnished into gold 

 and bronze by the effect of the strong light. But 

 away beyond the limits of wild forest another 

 feature is added to the landscape by the bright- 



