226 HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS. 
if the whole artillery of heaven was concentrated near 
the spot, and even our trusty horse ‘showed signs of ter- 
ror as the flashes of lightning fell in blinding sheets 
followed by peals of thunder that shook the hills. Dur- 
ing the afternoon we routed a flock of young quails that 
were feeding by the roadside with the old birds; al- 
though the brood was large, and it seemed as though 
we could easily pick up a half dozen, they scattered so 
quickly and effectually that a half hour’s search failed 
to reveal one of them; but as soon as we drove ashort 
distance, one after another could be seen scudding 
across the road in answer to the turkey calls of the old 
ones. About as interesting little creatures as we see 
along the way are the chipmunks and red squirrels that 
dodge behind rails and scamper on the fences, some- 
times stopping just ahead of us long enough to eat an 
apple or head of wheat, and then with a chipper of glee 
run along again, sometimes keeping pace with us for 
many rods. On this road were many patches of the 
showy Oswego tea (Monarda didyma). Ata little dis- 
tance its bright crimson heads show even prettier than 
the cardinal flower, which also grows in the same vicin- 
ity, and in many respects it rivals the latter flower even 
on a closer inspection. All the labiates now begin 
to show color, and some of them are really 
pretty, while the swails and low grounds are in 
many places covered with the Joe pye weed 
(ELupatorium-purpureum) and the purple milkweed 
(Asclemias purpurascens). Nature is ever generous at 
all seasons in ornamenting by some means her waste 
