AN OCTOBER DIARY. 315 



could not affect them. The white, pin, swamp-white, 

 red, and chestnut oaks all cluster here, either on the 

 elope of the hill or in tlie level meadow, and show 

 the effect of frost, if that it was which changed the col- 

 or of their leaves ; but this sturdy Quercus ohtusiloha 

 laughs at all such cold snaps, and will wave green leaves 

 until November, perhaps later, and then drop them 

 down to Mother Earth, tough, shining, unbroken, and 

 brown as the polished chinkapins upon which they fall. 



Tlie increasing warmth towards noon brings out myr- 

 iads of wasps, that congregate on the south side of the 

 house and of all the outbuildings. I dare venture into 

 no sunny nook regardless of them. They are not teach- 

 able, at least at short notice, as Sir John Lubbock's 

 wasp was trained, and respect no lover of nature and 

 admirer of hymenoptera. It is all one with them : 

 touch, and they touch back with emphasis. I sat upon 

 one this morning while in the meadow, and how quickly 

 lie unseated me. Now, safe from their assaults, I hear 

 their horny heads bring up against the window-panes 

 like rattling hail. They retire undiscouraged, and re- 

 turn as impetuously. Lively little battering-rams, al- 

 ways ready for action, never tiring of this butting pro- 

 cess, and never learning that they cannot get in. They 

 give us every evidence of stupidity, yet are really teach- 

 able creatures. 



Cabbage-butterflies and fritillaries floated over the 

 frostbitten grass, active as in August, stooping now and 

 then to suck some sweet the October frost has spared ; 

 but not a flower was to be seen in acres of meadow. A 

 more striking insect phenomenon was the myriads of 



