A THUNDER SHOWER. 
61 
they are now rapidly increasing and spreading themselves over the 
country. The Rocky Mountains seem to have been their great 
rallying ground ; they are found there in great numbers ; and as 
the Prince of Canino observes, they have advanced eastward to 
meet the white man. These new-comers remain but a short time, 
about six weeks in June and July, and then disappear again, tak- 
ing flight for tropical America. They are entirely miknown in 
Europe, or any part of the old world. They have more variety 
in their markings than most swallows. 
Friday, bth. — Fine shower last night, with thunder and light- 
ning ; everything growing delightfully. Such days and nights 
as these, in early spring, the effect produced on vegetation, by 
electricity and rain together, is really wonderful. M. de Candolle, 
the great botanist, mentions an instance in which the branches of 
a grape-vine grew, during a thunder shower, no less than an inch 
and a quarter in the course of an hour and a half ! Really, at 
that rate, one might almost see the plant grow. 
The young buds are coming out beautifully ; the tufts of scar- 
let flowers on the soft maples are now daintily tipped with the 
tender green of the leaf-buds in their midst, and the long green 
flowers of the sugar maple have come out on many trees ; yes- 
terday, there were none to be seen. White blossoms are open- 
ing in drooping clusters, also, on the naked branches of the June- 
berry ; this is a tree which adds very much to the gayety of our 
spring ; it is found in every wood, and always covered with long 
pendulous bunches of flowers, Avhether a small shrub or a large 
tree. There is one in the churchyard of great beauty, a tree 
perhaps five-and-thirty feet in height ; and standing among ever- 
greens as it does, it looks beautifully at this season, when covered 
