SWALLOW POND 



103 



merous turtles sun themselves from every 

 log. 



In the meadows near by, the flower 

 heads of the St. John's-wort become rusty. 

 Butter -and -eggs are 

 tall green steeples, with 

 but a few flowers to 

 grace their tops. Blue 

 vervain is in bloom, 

 and goldenrod pro- 

 claims the advent of 

 autumn. A family 

 of white-bellied nut- 

 hatches inhabited the 

 region one summer. 



The resident flickers 

 are driven from their 

 apple-trees by com- 

 panies of boys. Fam- 

 ilies of phoebes also survey the country 

 from the dead limbs ; they do not have 

 to go far for insects in August. Tlie deli- 

 cate flowers of the touch-me-not waver 

 in the gentle breeze, and mullein, self-heal 

 and shepherd's purse are in abundance. 



Summer gives a sombreness to Nature 

 about the pond. The cries of the night 

 heron at sundown add to the uncanny 



