THE BUTCHER-BIRD. 
347 
coloring, and others are rapidly dropping then- leaves. People 
observe that the forest has not remained in full color as long as 
usual this fall. The last twenty-four hours of rainy weather has 
had a great effect. A week or two earlier, rain will often height- 
en the coloring, but after the leaves begin to lose their life it 
hastens their decay. 
The larches are just touched with yellow ; liitherto they have 
been clear green. The willows and abele-trees are unchanged. 
The shrubbery is getting quite gay, the rose-bushes turning scar- 
let and yellow. The wild roses are generally vivid yellow. The 
sweet-briars are already bare of leaves. The snow-ball is pur- 
plish ; some of the lilacs are more yellow than common, Avhile oth- 
ers are withering slowly, in green, as usual. Some of the scar- 
let honeysuckles show quite handsome branches, red, and yellow, 
and purple, in the same large leaf. Saw a wild gooseberry in 
the woods, with leaves as brilliant as those of a maple. 
A number of birds about the house ; passengers on their way 
south, or winter birds coming in from the woods. Snow-birds, chic- 
adees, crested titmice, and sparrows. Also observed a cross-look- 
ing butcher-bird sitting by himself ; this is the bird which impales 
grasshoppers and insects, fastening them upon the thorns and 
twigs about the bushes ; probably he does it from that sort of 
instinct Avhich makes the dog bury a bone, and the squirrel lay 
up nuts ; having eaten enough for the present, he puts this game 
of his by for another occasion. We have never heard, however, 
whether they return to feed upon these impaled insects. The 
habit has a cruel look, certainly, and no wonder the bird is rather 
out of favor. Mr. Wilson says the German farmers in Pennsyl- 
vania call him Neuntodter, or Ninekiller, because they believe 
