A warbling vireo in the elm-tops

September 6. 

September 6, 2019

Hear the sounds nowadays — the lowing, tramp, and calls of the drivers — of cows coming down from up-country. 

Staghorn sumach berries probably some time, but ours are injured by worms. 

The fever-bush leaves are remarkably round and entire yet, as if by their odor defended from insects. 

The feverwort berries are apparently nearly in their prime, of a clear "corn yellow " and as large as a small cranberry, in whorls at the axils of the leaves of the half- prostrate plants. 

I hear occasionally a half-warbled strain from a warbling vireo in the elm-tops, as I go down the street nowadays. There is about as much life in their notes now as in the enfeebled and yellowing elm tree leaves at present. 

The liatris is, perhaps, a little past prime. It is a very rich purple in favorable lights and makes a great show where it grows. Any one to whom it is new will be surprised to learn that it is a wild plant. For prevalence and effect it may be put with the vernonia, and it has a general resemblance to thistles and knapweed, but is a handsomer plant than any of them.

H. D. Thoreau, Journal, September 6, 1859

Cows coming down from up-country. See August 24, 1853 ("I see cattle coming down from up-country. Why? "); September 20, 1852 ("Droves of cattle have for some time been coming down from up-country"); October 28, 1858 ("Cattle coming down from up country.") See also  April 30, 1860 ("Cattle begin to go up-country."); May 4, 1853 ("Cattle are going up country."); May 6, 1855 ("Road full of cattle going up country.”); May 7, 1856 ("For a week the road has been full of cattle going up country. "); May 8, 1854 ("I hear the voices of farmers driving their cows past to their up-country pastures now."); May 10, 1852 ("This Monday the streets are full of cattle being driven up-country, — cows and calves and colts.").

The feverwort berries are apparently nearly in their prime. See August 23, 1853 ("The feverwort berries are yellowing and yellowed.")

A half-warbled strain from a warbling vireo in the elm-tops. See  September 6, 1858 ("Hear a warbling vireo, sounding very rare and rather imperfect. "); see also May 4, 1855 ("I think I hear a warbling vireo"); May 6, 1852 ("Hear the first warbling vireo this morning on the elms. This almost makes a summer. "): May 10, 1858 ("The warbling vireo cheers the elms with a strain for which they must have pined. "); May 29, 1855 ("the warbling vireo, with its smooth-flowing, continuous, one-barred, shorter strain, with methinks a dusky side-head ). August 9, 1856 (“The notes of the wood pewee and warbling vireo are more prominent of late, and of the goldfinch twittering over.”);August 25, 1858 ("The note of a warbling vireo sounds very rare"); September 4, 1853 ("Hear a warbling vireo, — something rare"); September 13, 1858 ("Hear many warbling vireos these mornings"); September 16, 1852 ("The jay screams; the goldfinch twitters; the barberries are red. The corn is topped. I hear a warbling vireo in the village, which I have not heard for long."); September 20, 1858 ("Hear warbling vireos still, in the elms");

The liatris is, perhaps, a little past prime. See August 1, 1856 ("Liatris will apparently open in a day or two.");August 26, 1858 ("The liatris is about (or nearly) in prime."); September 28, 1858 ("Liatris done, apparently some time.").