NOVEMBER. 181 



autumn a pair of foreign stonechats for, though 

 these birds are to be seen in England all the year 

 round, they are migrants will accompany a dog 

 from bush to bush down the whole length of a hedge, 

 keeping as close to him as possible, and often 

 fluttering within a foot or two of his back. Though 

 this inquisitiveness of birds often looks silly, and is 

 sometimes used by man to their destruction, it is the 

 characteristic of the cleverest of wild creatures and 

 the quality to which man himself owes his reasoning 

 powers. 



THE CHANGE OF THE WIND. 



November 20. Last week it was " lingering sum- ~\ 

 mer," with roses in full bloom by the side of dahlias 

 and chrysanthemums in mid-November ; but, three 

 days later, the wind changed to the east, and straight- 

 way the dahlias were blackened and cut down by 

 frost, while the roses and chrysanthemums in exposed 

 places were caught too, and overcoats came out next 

 morning like mushrooms after a moist September 

 night. Still, no subsequent severity of the weather 

 could take away all that we had gained by St. Martin's 

 summer. In ripened wood the fruit trees already 

 bore promise of a splendid crop next year ; and the 

 country in general had seldom been in better trim 

 for a good, wholesome winter sleep. Much plant and 

 animal life had, of course, been caught napping or, 

 rather, had been caught awake when it ought to have 

 been napping. On the very day before the wind 

 changed and brought the frost, day-flying moths were 

 darting over the belated flowers ; and when next day 



