876 UPLAND AND MEADOW. 



than naturalists are of the habits of mammals. The 

 creatures we essay to study play bo-peep with us when- 

 ever we go abroad ; and often they must merrily chuckle 

 to themselves, when we turn homeward in despair, 

 thinking there are no living creatures within miles of 

 us. 



How quickly the water-plants are stricken by the first 

 autumn frosts. There are now, in the meadows, long 

 reaches of open water, where, during the summer, noth- 

 ing but a rank growth of vegetation was to be seen. 

 The pontederia, arum, and other similar growtlis are 

 now a slimy, homogeneous mass upon the bottoms of 

 the shallow ponds, which, but a few days ago, they blot- 

 ted out of sight. The waters, to-day, rejoiced that their 

 time had come; they sparkled and danced in ripples as 

 the breezes swept over them, and many a foolhardy 

 bird got an unlooked-for bath by venturing too near. 

 When there was a calm the colored leaves were reflected 

 in the pools, and repeated this glory of the October land- 

 scape. Fish now catch the inspiration of brisk autumn 

 days, and the silvery minnows leap continually above 

 the ripples. In the deep pond beyond Poaetquissings, 

 where there have been land-locked gizzard shad for 

 many years, I saw several of these fish in a state of un- 

 usual activity. They leaped above the waves, for the 

 water was quite rough, showing their silvery sides to 

 great advantage. This leaping was so continuous that 

 the thought arose that they were chased by some enemy 

 Vjeneath the surface ; but I could detect none by float- 

 ing over the pond, although, when the wind ceased, the 



