302 
RURAL HOURS. 
ally seen here of late years ; but we have never observed it 
ourselves. It is quite a forest bird. 
Besides these, there are the red-bellied, and the yellow-bellied, 
coming from the south, and rarely seen in this part of the State. 
The arctic and the banded woodpeckers, coming from the north, 
are occasional \-isitors, but we have never met them. 
Tuesday, — Mild, soft weather lately; to-day, high gust, 
with rain. Those leaves that had at all loosened their hold, locusts 
and Virginia creepers, are flying before the wind. The apples, 
bloAvn off, are lying under the trees, scattered in showers over the 
green grass. 
Saw a flock of wild pigeons ; they have not been very numer- 
ous in om- neighborhood lately, but every year we have a few of 
them. These birds will go a great distance for food, and their flight 
is astonishmgly rapid. A pigeon of this kind is said to have been 
killed in New York during the rice season, ■with undigested Caro- 
lina rice in its crop ; and as they require but twelve hours for di- 
gestion, it is supposed that the bird was only a few hours on his 
journey, breakfasting on the Santee, and dining on the Hudson. 
At this rate, it has been calculated that our passenger-pigeon 
might go to Europe in three days ; indeed, a straggler is said to 
have been actually shot in Scotland. So that, whatever disputes 
may arise as to the rival merits of Columbus and the Northmen, 
it is very probable that American pigeons had discovered Europe 
long before the Eui-opeans discovered them. 
Thursday, 2lst. — Equinox. Warm ; showery as April. Sun- 
shine, showers, and rainbows succeeding each other through the 
day. Beautiful effect of light on the hills ; a whole mountain- 
