A NOISOME WEED. 175 



the Rafflesiacece found in the tropics. Forbes, 

 in his Wanderings in the Eastern Archipelago, 

 records that once he " nearly trampled on a 

 fine, new species of that curious family . . . . ; 

 it smelt powerfully of putrid flesh, and was in- 

 fested with a crowd of flies, which followed me 

 all the way as I carried it home, and was besides 

 overrun with ants." 



So far my own observation. What say 

 others ? 



Let us turn, however, to a more savor}'- sub- 

 ject. Undeterred by possible whiffs of sickening 

 scent, I followed the example of my friend the 

 meadow-mouse, and crept into the largest smi- 

 lax wigwam I could find. It was sufficiently 

 roomy for all my needs, and shed the sun's rays 

 better than it would have done the drops of a 

 summer shower. The east wind brought the 

 rank odor of the marshes, and more fitfully the 

 tinkling notes of the marsh-wrens that now 

 crowd the rank growths of typha ; but sweeter 

 songs soon rang out near by, as the nervous 

 Maryland yellow-throat, thinking me gone, 

 perched within arm's length and sang with 

 all its energy. The power of that wee creat- 

 ure's voice was absolutely startling. We seldom 

 realize how far off many a bird may be, when 

 we hear it sing; often looking immediately 

 about us when a strange note falls upon our 



