Evening star., 1897-07-31

most of the birds have reached that point
In their annual career when music, which
played so important part at first. has
been allowed to sink lower and lower, until
finally it has fallen into disuse. Some of
the birds may be heard however. The red
eyed virio continues his monotonous mono
logue in the forest, with the indigo bird in
the meadow keeping him company. An oc-
casional song may be vouchsafed by tho
cardinal. Carolina wren, wood pewee, tuft-
ed titmouse. chickadee or chipping spar
row, while the field sparrows pastoral lay
still falls upon the ear with scarcely dimin-
ished frequency. The call of the partridge
the ventrloqual "hanh. hanh" of the
whfte-breasted puthatch and the anxious
sounding chatter of the goldfinch. will once
in while greet the rambler. But gener-
ally the songs have subsided, their place
being supplied by the chirping and shrilliDg
of insects in the grass and the space-fllins
bhZZing of the locusts in the trees. Insects
are SO numerous that impromptu hunting
parties are often organized among the birds
OF an evening, amateurs such as the blue
birds and sparrows of various kinds join
ing with the professional king birds and
wood pewees in the sport"
august is dangerous month for insects.
Not only do they have to serve as subjects
OF this friendly competition and as meals
for less merry, but quite as deadly, birds,
but If they escape these dangers they are
liable to become enmeshed in some of the
numerous spiders webs that are now be-
coming common in the woods. These webs
as well as a menace to the insects are
source of annoyance to the human wood
frequenter, for the spiders have no regard
for the rights of the user of pathway or
road. but erect their puny barriers across
either with the utmost Indifference to the
convenience of the public. Usually it is
only line or two that breaks across the
face of the passerby; but often full web
will be encountered, with the owner him
self perhaps in the center. 1t Is sometimes
amusing to watch the tactics Of the spider
when disturbed in his web. He tries to
frighten the rash intruder by methods sim
liar to those attributed to the Chinese, who
are said to have turned somersaults before
an advancing foe in order to strike terror
to his heart. have seen large black and
yellow spider hang by a single long thread
and turn round and round, the yellow fash
ing out like the intermittent light of a re-
volving light house. This maneuver not
producing the desired effect he clambered
up the line. placed himself in the very mid
ole of his web and shook the whole struc-
ture rapidly back and forth with clock-like
rhythm. Then he moved to another portion
Of the web and gave another shake, and
then tried various other positions and diff
ferent kinds of shakes. all with the hope of
terrifying the big enemy who had touched
him with his stick.
Midsummer Rambles.
These finest webs are the beginning of a
nuisance that grows to be quite draw
back to woodland rambles as we advance
into autumn. Still stick land one should
always carry one on jaunt, 1t is useful
In SO many ways) kept constantly moving
before the face somewhat mitigates the
annoyance and saves the face from many
disagreeahle contact However, the Au-
gust rambler is more apt to seek meadows
and open land rather than woods. For
though he must there encounter the sun