220 VIGNETTES FROM NATURE. 



XXII. 



THE FALL OF THE YEAR, 



Up on the downs to-day the view is dreary 

 and gloomy enough. A grey mist hangs over 

 the horizon to seaward, while inland the 

 hollow combes and rounded shoulders of the 

 distant chalk range hardly stand out at all 

 through the foggy air. Sunlight throws up 

 their varied contour with splendid perspective 

 depths of black shadow ; but in dull wintry 

 weather like this, the outline merges into a 

 single, unbroken leaden-blue line against the 

 white background of the sky. There can be 

 no denying that chill October is really upon 

 us. Yet even now a few patches of colour 

 still remain — some golden heads of the 



