40 FROM SPRING TO FALL. 



most at my feet. The two great problems of life 

 and death follow quickly on each other, for hardly 

 had the little fellow gone when one of his most 

 determined enemies, in the shape of a weasel, made 

 his appearance, looked at me with his bold dark 

 eyes, and then followed on the track of the mouse. 



The southern slopes of hills are naturally pre- 

 ferred by all creatures furred or feathered, and 

 our road home will lead us to descend in that 

 direction. Now and again we come on bare places 

 where huge beech-trees have been felled for timber. 

 Before the remains in the shape of "lop" and 

 "top" are cleared off, a crop of vegetation never 

 seen there before springs up like magic; one of 

 the magical workings of the woodlands this is. 

 To these newly opened spaces the larger species 

 of the fritillaries are singularly attracted. 



Travellers in tropical countries have mentioned 

 a distinct sound made in flight by some of the 

 tropical species. The Queen of Spain fritillary, 

 and the high brown fritillary, and also the silver- 

 washed fritillary, when on flight, click with their 

 strong wings. This I have heard distinctly as the 

 grand creatures have flown within a yard of me, 



