SEPTEMBER SUNSHINE. 257 



aginary insects. Humming-birds will dart from their 

 perches, and, hovering in space for several seconds, as 

 though before a flower, will then return to the identical 

 spot they left. What mental condition is it that en- 

 ables them to do this ? I look upon it as the greatest 

 mystery in animal psychology. Not always, however, 

 are these somnambulistic performances free of danger 

 to the birds. I once saw a purple grakle pitch from its 

 perch, as though pursued by a hawk, and, striking the 

 branch of a tree, fall to the ground with its neck broken. 

 Crows, also, often perform the most curious antics when 

 asleep; and even the more staid woodpeckers run two 

 or three times around the trunk of the tree in which 

 they are roosting, and then quietly resume their slum- 

 bers. 



Although so abundant and prominent in the mam- 

 malian fauna, particularly now and later, the rabbit sel- 

 dom attracts my attention. I trap them, of course, in 

 proper season ; but they seem, even then, more like do- 

 mesticated than wild animals. In my rambles now, I 

 see them dart by, or, scenting danger, stand well up, lift 

 their long ears, and then speed away, until they find 

 close cover. While yet in sight, one naturally gazes 

 after them, but once out of sight they are equally out 

 of mind. A consistent naturalist should try to become 

 as enthusiastic over a rabbit as a mink or muskrat, but, 

 in this, I imagine, most signally fail. A " cotton-tail " 

 is as near a nonentity as any creature well can be. Why ? 

 Because they are, or appear to be, stupid ; for Uncle 

 Remus's "Brer Rabbit" never wanders as far north as 



