150 FROM BLOMIDON TO SMOKY. 



On August 14 at 3 P. M., humming-birds were 

 using Orchard No. 2, but the supply of sap was 

 diminishing and no woodpeckers were to be 

 seen. I shot away a small limb which I noticed 

 the humming-birds perched upon, and a few 

 moments later one returned and flew in zigzag 

 lines near the spot, searching for the missing 

 twig. The same or another bird repeated the 

 search a few minutes later. At 4 p. M., I reached 

 Orchard No. 1, which seemed deserted, nothing 

 coming during an hour and a half. Great 

 streams of frothy sap extended down the bark 

 to the ground and formed a moist spot on the 

 leaves and mould. The trees smelled sour and 

 the lower sap tasted sour. I climbed to the 

 drills. The upper holes were blowing bubbles 

 of sap, and a slow current was flowing from them, 

 readily visible to the eye. Many kinds of in- 

 sects were upon the trunk, including ants, com- 

 mon house-flies, and hornets. One of the last 

 named stung me without other provocation than 

 my presence, and I descended rapidly from the 

 tree. By a mark made on July 23, I was able 

 to determine that in three weeks the drills in 

 this red maple had been carried eight inches up 

 its trunk. 



On September 5, I paid a final visit for the 

 season to Orchard No. 1. There were no birds 

 present between 2.30 and 3 p. M. But little sap 



