OCTOBER 79 



and near fairly heavy timber, always seems in 

 some degree lonely and hazardous. 



We saw one flock of ten or twelve meadowlarks, 

 some of them singing in tones that suggested a 

 longing for the warmer south. The horned larks 

 in flocks of fifteen or twenty were darting about 

 the pastures, persistent in their faint warblings, 

 while now and then one would light on a fence and 

 sing a monotonous ditty over and over, with much 

 enthusiasm. A large hawk, perhaps a marsh har- 

 rier, was sailing in low, wide circles, finally sweep- 

 ing down to a fence post, where he tipped his 

 big body up and down till he found equilibrium. 

 The bluebirds are now in family flocks, keeping 

 fairly close together, singing only the delicate 

 notes that seem to suggest languor or pathos. In 

 the woods the white-throated sparrows were flit- 

 ting about, on or near the ground, silent except for 

 occasional low call notes. They appeared to be 

 rather shy. Thousands of grasshoppers were 

 lively in and over the grasses. Here and there a 

 late sprig of goldenrod shone with undimmed 

 brightness, and there w^ere a good many violets in 

 the fields, though not in the profusion of spring 

 days. The violets have been blooming for about 

 two weeks. 



