the dimensions he wants; and, covering it roughly with boughs and sods, he fills it plentifully with straw or fern.

"Having made this preparation, he collects his colony among the farmers, with whom he commonly agrees for a shilling a head, and will get together a herd of five or six hundred hogs. Having driven them to their destined habitation, he gives them a plentiful supper of acorns or beech mast, which he had already provided, sounding his horn during the repast He then turns them into the litter, where, after a long journey and a hearty meal, they sleep deliciously.

"The next morning he lets them look a little around them, shews them the pool or stream where they may occasionally drink, leaves them to pick up the offals of the last night's meal, and, as evening draws on, gives them another plentiful repast under the neighbouring trees, which rain acorns upon them, for an hour together at the sound of his horn. He then sends them again to sleep.`

"The following day, he is perhaps at the pains of procuring them another meal, with music playing as usual. He then leaves them a little more to themselves,

having an eye, however, on their evening hours. But as their bellies are full, they seldom wander far from home, retiring commonly very orderly and early to bed.

"After this he throws his stye open, and leaves them to provide for themselves; and henceforward has little more trouble with them during the whole time of their migration. Now and then in calm weather, when mast falls sparingly, he calls them together, perhaps by the music of his horn, to a meal which he gathers for them; but in general they need little attention, returning regularly home at night, though they often wander in the day two or three miles from their stye. There are experienced leaders in all herds, which have spent this roving life before; and can instruct their juniors in the method of it. By this management, the herd is carried home to their respective owners in such condition, that a little dry meal will soon fatten them."

On the twenty-second of September, the days and nights are equal all over the earth. This is generally attended with heavy storms of wind and rain, which throw down much of the fruit that yet remains on the trees.

By the end of this month the leaves of many trees lose their green colour, and begin to assume their autumnal tints; which, however, are not complete till the eusuing month.

139

OCTOBER.

The fading many-coloured woods
Shade deep'ning over shade, the country round
Imbrown; a crowded umbrage, dusk end dun,
Of every hue, from wan declining green
To sooty dark.

The chief business of nature at this season, as far as concerns the vegetable world, appears to be the scattering of the seeds. Now seeds are scattered by the hand of nature in various manners. Those of them which are furnished with plumes, or wings, are dispersed far and wide by the high winds which arise about this time. Hence plants with such seeds are of all others the most generally to be met with; as dandelion, groundsel, ragwort, thistles, &c. Others, by means of hooks with which they are furnished, lay hold of passing animals, and are thus carried to

distant places. The common burze are examples of this contrivance. Several when ripe are thrown out with considerable force from their receptacle by means of a strong spring, of which the touch-me-not, and all the species of cardamine, or cuckooflower, are instances. Many are contained in berries, which being eaten by birds, the seeds are discharged again uninjured, and grow wherever they happen to light. Thus hus nature carefully provided for the propagation and wide distribution of her vegetable offspring.

The gloom of the declining year, is, however, during this month, enlivened by the variety of rich and bright colours exhibited by the fading leaves of shrubs and trees.

To these fugitive colours are added the more durable ones of ripened berries, a variety of which now adorn our hedges, Among these are particularly distinguished the hip, the fruit of the wild rose; the haw of the hawthorn; the sloe of the black-thorn; the blackberry, of the bramble; and the berries of the briony,privet,honey-suckle, elder holly, and woody night-shade. These are a valuable supply for the birds during the cold weather; and it is said, upon the