Il6 NATURE IN A CITY YARD 



Plato I. was especially persistent in 

 coming in, so we let him have the run 

 of the cellar. He stayed awake until Jan- 

 uary or so, bumbling around in the half- 

 darkness, refusing such food as we offered 

 to him, and drinking little ; and so he 

 wasted and died. Plato II. was equally 

 stubborn. He was stupid on cold days, 

 and often appeared to be dormant, for 

 he would allow himself to be handled 

 without waking. So we rolled him in a 

 carpet, put him in a box in the shed, and 

 expected him to sleep until spring. But 

 when the weather modified he scratched 

 his way to freedom again, and stayed out 

 of doors for a day. Once I took him from 

 his wrappings and set him on the grass. 

 He awoke and maundered aimlessly about 

 until the sun began to sink, when he drew 

 into his shell and apparently went to sleep 

 again. He was returned to his carpet and 

 box, and after a series of bitter nights, 

 when the mercury dropped to zero, he 

 was found dead of freezing. 



Our autumn insects are lively until after 

 the frosts. One September day there is a 



