CHAP. cm.

SALICA'CEiE. POLULUS.

] 667

mjjimil

jflHI.tittitfiti

consist of a clear mellow whistle, repeated at short intervals as he gleamsamong the branches. There is in it a certain wild plaintiveness and naiveteextremely interesting. Since the streets of some of the American towns havebeen planted with Lombardy poplars, the orioles are constant visitors,chanting their native ‘ woodnotes wild,’ amid the din of coaches, wheelbarrows,and sometimes within a few yards of a bawling oysterwoman.”

A curious phenomenon is represented by Mr. Murray as taking place withthis poplar. Speaking of the raining tree in the Island of Hierro, which sup-plies the inhabitants as well as inferior animals with water, he accounts forthis effect, by stating that a cloud of vapour from the sea is impelled towardsthe tree; and, being condensed by its foliage, the rain falls into a large tank,from which it is measured out by individuals set apart for that purpose by theauthorities of the island. The same effect, Mr. Murray alleges, takes place

II II El

with very tall trees of this species surrounded by fog in this country. “ Inconfirmation of a circumstance prima facie so incredible,” he says, “ I havehere to record a phenomenon, witnessed by myself, equally extraordinary. Ihad frequently observed, in avenues of trees, that the entire ground engrossedby their shady foliage was completely saturated with moisture; and that duringthe prevalence of a fog, when the ground beneath their pale was completelyparched, the wet which fell from their branches more resembled a gentleshower than any thing else; and in investigating the phenomenon, which I amdisposed to consider entirely electrical, I think the elm exhibits this featuremore remarkably than any other tree of the forest. I never, however, wasmore astonished than I was in the month of September, 1828, on witnessinga very striking example of this description. I had taken an early walk on theroad leading from Stafford to Lichfield; a dense fog prevailed, but the road

5 ft 3