310 ?Tt)e artoen's Storg. 



tuberosus would be largely used as an esculent, 

 if we had not the potato. They have a flavor 

 somewhat like salsify or celery-turnip, and it 

 seems highly probable that they were extensively 

 employed by the aborigines as an article of fooc 1 . 

 The vermilion and light red berries of the 

 European and the American mountain -ash 

 (Pyrus aucuparia and P. Americana) are con- 

 spicuous at present. One of the finest orna- 

 mental trees, the mountain-ash, like the linden, 

 is unfortunately subject to attacks from borers 

 and ants, which eventually split the rind and 

 destroy the vitality of the tree. The robins are 

 numerous among its branches, feasting upon the 

 berries. Equally busy are they among the 

 pears, apples, and grapes meat-eaters in the 

 summer and vegetarians in the fall. The robin 

 has a distinct autumnal note, which I like to 

 hear a noisy call he utters when about to 

 change his perch, or preliminary challenge to a 

 raid upon the orchards, as if he knew he had a 

 right to the spoils, and wanted his companions 

 to share the Jeast. From the thickly foliaged 

 thorn, hung with its scarlet fruit, comes a soft, 

 tender, caressing song, one of the sweetest of 

 the year a warble so low, so sweet, so plaint- 

 ive, I tiptoe closely to the songster to hear it. 

 How charming the cat-bird can be when he 



