'VW V 
The Juncos 
repeatedly in a field near the house. . 
seemed to be abundant in the birch openings. 
The woods were simply glorious. They may now be 
said to be at the height of their autumnal coloring. The 
deep wine-color of the oaks, the pure gold of the hickories, 
the olive-purple or rich salmon of the ash trees, mingling 
with the countless shades of green, scarlet and crimson of 
many other species made up a whole of wonderful beauty. But 
few leaves have as yet fallen, tho 1 the first rain-storm will 
nearly strip the earlier trees., as their foliage is fully 
ripened. The crickets still "shrill" by the wayside and in 
the woods the cicada is not yet silent; I heard at least a 
dozen of the latter today. That strange mysterious voice of 
autumn which I have never yet been able to trace to its real 
^source still drones out its crackling, monotonous tones but 
the utterance is becoming feebler every day. September is 
the real month for this unknown wood-nymph. It is in the 
broad wood-lands that one may now see October to the best 
advantage. There is a ripe golden quality there that I miss 
in the open places where the grass is still as green as in 
midsummer. The dropping of acorns and chestnuts is an ever¬ 
present sound there and the squirrels are all busy with their 
annual harvest. Their chatter, chuckling, and rustle keeps 
perfect accord with the screaming of the Blue Jays and the 
ceaseless whisper of the falling leaves. 
^He afterwards identified this note as the autumn note 
of the Hyla, frog. 
/r 
