388 UPLAND AND MEADOW. 



and comfortable retreat. In counting the frogs in a 

 sunken cask, placed to collect the waters of a little 

 spring, I made a discovery, and so forgot entirely the 

 steady pour of the cold rain upon me. 



As these springs are all concealed at this time of the 

 year by a thick coating of autumn leaves, their presence 

 would not be suspected except for their rich riiii of 

 bright green grasses ; and when there is a deep pool in 

 coarse gravel, or a cask has been sunk to catch the water, 

 then there is nothing, often, to show the danger of pass- 

 ing that way. In their usual reckless manner, chip- 

 munks, mice, and shrews go at breakneck speed over 

 the ground, and sometimes, to their sorrow, drive into 

 these leaf-covered depths. In the large cask I exam- 

 ined to-day were several mice and one squirrel, and on 

 these the frogs were feeding. This was my discovery. 

 These frogs remain active, if a food suppl}' such as I 

 have mentioned is available; but if not, hibernation is 

 available to ward off the gnawings of hunger. To be 

 sure, batrachians can fast for a long time, but probably 

 not from October to the following spring, and keep up 

 tiieir ordinary summer-time activity. 



The woodpeckers that built so elaborate a home in the 

 apple-tree have deserted it ; and now are equally busy, 

 a furlong off, pecking at a dead limb of a maple. I can 

 get no clew to their object; unless they purpose having 

 the holes in readiness for next spring, which I do not 

 believe. 



Towards sunset, the crows as usual took their west- 



