AUTUMN TIDES 



autumnal foliage than it deserves. The 

 richest shades of plum color to be seen — 

 becoming by and by, or in certain lights, a 

 deep maroon — are afforded by this tree. 

 Then at a distance there seems to be a sort 

 of bloom on it, as upon the grape or plum. 

 Amid a grove of yellow maple, it makes a 

 most pleasing contrast. 



By mid-October, most of the Rip Van 

 Winkles among our brute creatures have 

 lain down for their winter nap. The toads 

 and turtles have buried themselves in the 

 earth. The woodchuck is in his hibernacu- 

 lum, the skunk in his, the mole in his ; and 

 the black bear has his selected, and will go 

 in when the snow comes. He does not like 

 the looks of his big tracks in the snow. 

 They publish his goings and comings too 

 plainly. The coon retires about the same 

 time. The provident wood-mice and the 

 chipmunk are laying by a winter supply of 

 nuts or grain, the former usually in decayed 

 trees, the latter in the ground. I have ob- 

 served that any unusual disturbance in the 

 woods, near where the chipmunk has his 

 den, will cause him to shift his quarters. 

 One October, for many successive days, I 

 saw one carrying into his hole buckwheat 

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