THE YOUNG ORNITHOLOGIST. 



A VACATION TRIP. 



Or, Two Young Naturalists in Neiv 

 Hampshire. 



By Harry Roland. 



chapter iv. 

 The boys had finished their dinner, 

 or lunch, and were packing what re- 

 mained into the carriage, when their 

 ears were saluted by a great outcry 

 from some blue jays a little distance 

 off in a grove of trees. Blue jays 

 are naturally noisy birds, but the 

 cries they were now making seemed 

 to be uttered with more energy than 

 usual. 



" What do you think is the ti-ouble 

 over there?" demanded Edward. 



" I presume they are after a hawk, 

 or an owl," replied George. 



"Ain't you going after them?" in- 

 quired Edward. 

 "No, I guess not." 

 " Well, then, I guess I will," said 

 Edward, and taking the gun he start- 

 ed off towards the grove. A few 

 minutes rapid walking brought him to 

 the grove, and entering it he disap- 

 peared from view. 



About five minutes afterwards 

 George heard the report of the gun, 

 and presently Edward appeared bear- 

 ing in his hand a fine Coopers Hawk. 

 " Handsome, isn't it?" exclaimed 

 Edward, who felt quite proud at the' 

 result of his shot. 



"Yes, its a very fine specimen. I 

 think you had better keep it, and I 

 will try and skin it to-niglit." 



"All right, I will. 1 may be able 

 to have it mounted some time." 



"Or do it youi'self," replied 

 George. 



As they resumed their journey and 



were riding slowly along they could 

 not help uoticeing how still it was, all 

 animated nature seemed asleep, and 

 not a sound broke the monotonous still- 

 ness except the noise of their horses' 

 hoofs and the occasional creaking of 

 their carriage. The country through 

 which they were now passing was 

 quite different from that through 

 which they had travelled the day be- 

 fore. Long steep hills to climb and 

 descend were of frequent occurence. 

 Rocky pastures and long woods com- 

 prised mostly of pine, spruce apd 

 hemlock took the place of cultivated 

 fields and deciduous trees. But this 

 was just what the boys liked and the 

 places that to some would have seem- 

 ed the most dreary and desolate, were 

 often those that seemed to promise 

 them the most pleasure and excitement 

 A small brook that they crossed over 

 during the afternoon elicited the 

 remark from Edward : 



"Oh ! what a brook for trout !" and 

 in truth it seemed so, being a clear 

 rapid running stream, containing 

 numerous dark, deep pools flecked 

 with foam, which are usually the 

 localities chosen by the speckled 

 beauties of the stream. The boys 

 have now almost finished their long- 

 journey, and expect that a ride of two 

 hours longer will bring them to their 

 destination. As they get within a 

 few miles of their house, they ob- 

 tain their first view of grand old 

 Monadnock, which is plainly visible 

 towering above the surrounding hills 

 to the Westward. The tourist or 

 visitor to this locality will find the 

 time well spent in ascending to the 

 summit of this mountain. It has an 

 elevation of 3720 feet above the 



