NIGHT 



place, and, while not so spectacular as 

 the flight of the fireflies, was watched, 

 or rather heard, by the Neighbour with 

 passing interest. After dusk had set- 

 tled and the woods were wrapped in 

 silence, a brief buzzing sounded among 

 the leaves on the ground near by. Pres- 

 ently another buzz came from a little 

 distance, and the sound went on in- 

 creasing until the droning of the " June 

 bugs " in flight was mingling in general 

 concert with those attempting to rise 

 from their hiding-places among the 

 leaves. These large brown beetles had 

 passed the daylight hours in safety, and 

 now came out from secret places to 

 flutter and rise. 



As the insects rose in increasing 

 numbers, the volume of sound grew 

 until a deep hum pervaded the 

 woods. It did not stop here, but still 

 grew to a vibrant bass, like the drone 

 of numberless bass viols. Countless 

 numbers of these insects, circling about 

 the tree-tops, touching the foliage in 

 their erratic flight before they settled 

 among the leaves, made this almost 

 unbelievable sound. Gradually the vol- 

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