350 
RURAL HOURS. 
The snow-birds are also resident in our hills through the year, 
but unlike the chicadees, they show themselves at all seasons. 
You can hardly go into the woods without meeting them ; many 
are seen running in and out about the fences, and they may al- 
most be called village birds with us ; at all seasons you may find 
them about the gardens and lawns, and I have no doubt some of 
them have nests in the village. The greater number, however, 
retire to the fields and hill-sides. At one moment this afternoon 
there was a meeting in our own trees of two large flocks, chica- 
dees and snow-birds ; they were all in fine spirits at the approach 
of winter, restless and chirping, flitting hither and thither with 
rapid, eager movements. Among the throng were two little birds 
of another kind, much smaller in size, and of a plain plumage ; 
they were evidently strangers, possibly on their way southward ; 
they perched on a high twig apart from the flock, and sat there 
quietly together, side by side, as if weary ; they remained on the 
same branch more than a quarter of an hom% just turning their 
little heads occasionally to look with amazement at the flirting, 
frolicksome chicadees. They were about the size of wrens, 
but were perched too high for us to discover of what species they 
were. 
Wednesday, 25th. — Pleasant. Long drive. Calm, sweet day. 
Here and there dashes of warm coloring still in the woods, al- 
though in other places they are dull, and nearly bare. The ever- 
greens of all kinds are in triumph ; their verdure is brilliantly fresh 
and vivid, in their untarnished summer growth, while all other 
foliasre is fading:, and falling: from the naked branches. The 
larches look prettily ; a few days since they were entirely green, 
but now they are wholly yellow, though in full leaf, which, from 
