RURAL WALKS.— COLD WEATHER. 
13 
Pheasant, or Ruffed Grouse, as we should rather call it, is a more 
hardy bird, partial to mountams and wooded cotmtries, and found 
as far north as Hudson’s Bay. 
Saturday, Wth. — Very pleasant. Walking on the skirts of the 
village this afternoon, we came to a fence blown down by some 
winter storm, and stepping over it strolled about the fields awhile, 
the first time we had walked off the beaten track smce November. 
We were obliged to cross several snow banks, but had the pleas- 
m-e at least of treading the bro^vn earth again, and remembering 
that in a few short weeks the sward ■will be fresh and green once 
more. A disappointment awaited us — several noble pines, old 
friends and favorites, had been felled unkno-\vn to us during the 
•winter; unsightly stumps and piles of chips Avere all that re- 
mained where those fine trees had so long: waved their everg:reen 
arms. Their fall seemed to haA'e quite changed the character ot 
the neighboring fields ; for it often lies within the power of a sin- 
gle group of trees to alter the AA'hole aspect of acres of surround- 
ing lands. 
Wednesday, \5th. — Unusually cold for the season, the ther- 
mometer haAdng fallen last night to six beloAV zero. Half-cloudy 
day ; Avind from the north. 
Thursday, \&th. — The cold still continues; ten degrees below 
zero last night ! This Avould be thought A^ery seA'ere at midAAnnter. 
Friday, 1 7 th. — ScA'erely cold night, thennometer seven beloAV 
zero. Happily, it is now groAving milder ; the merciuy above zero 
this evening. 
Saturday, 'iSth. — Spring Aveather again, quite pleasant to-day. 
Thennometer forty-six, the mercury having risen some forty de- 
grees Avithin the last eighteen horns. 
