at the distant appearance of a Kite. The last-named bird, actuated by love to its own offspring, pounces on the unconscious chickens where they are feeding in the midst of the children of the village; and notwithstand

THE weather in this month is coming their noise, and the opposition of monly fine, but often showery; and when there has been no storm about the vernal equinox, it may be expected to be stormy. The effects of this are soon felt by vegetable nature; fruit, which had acquired a sufficient size to afford the hope of approaching plenty, is in a short time destroyed; the corn, which sometime in the month comes into bloom, is considerably injured; and the hay, which is ripening fast, is either beaten to the ground as it stood, or is soaked, and its nutritive properties injured, by the continued rain, after it is mowed. In favourable seasons the weather is warm, and shade and water are welcome to cattle; oxen, in particular, resort to the river and pond, both to cool their bodies and to escape the attacks of noxious insects, more especially the Gadfly, which does not choose to follow them there. The tail is of great use on these occasions; and men have not yet judged it proper to deprive horned cattle of its protection; but the horse is left to run the pasture, where frequently shelter is impossible to be obtained, exposed to these small but tormenting enemies, without that | defence which Nature had bestowed. The inhabitants of South America, where horses are bred in immense multitudes, are more considerate; and permit this useful animal to enjoy all the advantage which it can possibly derive from its full length of tail. Few changes take place in the feathered race in June. All seem busy about one object, the raising, feeding, and protecting their young. The Hen marches about with new cares and undaunted courage, at the head of a numerous brood; attacking with spirit the dog or horse, that approaches too near, but crying in agonizing notes No. 28.-VOL, III,

the parent, carries them safely off. Cockchaffers (Scarabæus Melolontha) make their appearance, sometimes in such numbers as to be a nuisance, They feed on the leaves of trees, where they lie concealed through the day; in the evening they take wing and fly, apparently without being able to see far before them, against any object that comes in their way. They are a principal food of the Goatsucker, (Caprimulgus Europæus) a bird that has much the same habits as the Swal low tribe, save that it flies by night. It makes a very harsh and disagreeable noise late in the evening, as it stands perched on a tree, with its head lower than its tail. Insects abound in incalculable varieties. Their use in the economy of nature appears to be, to devour the offal of nature in all her kingdoms, except the mineral; bodies which the heat of the season would soon convert into putrefaction, rise again into life, though in another form; and the long line of being never ends. Some of them pierce the solid timber, and bring on a decomposition, which might otherwise have been delayed for many centuries. They themselves serve for food, either of one another, or of the higher order of animals. Most insects of the Moth kind, (Phalana) fly by night; and lie concealed by day in such places as they were able to select. Those colours and figures, which, as the workmanship of the Almighty painter, we find so worthy of admiration, are then more than an ornament to their possessors: some are figured like mouldy spots which we see on walls; some are yellow, brown, or white; and may, even on close examination, be mistaken for patches of lichen, decayed leaves, or dried sticks. They thus

21

491

Monthly Observations.

492

escape the observation of their ene- | pectorals, as in that fish. That delimies, until the evening again enables cate fish, the Surmullet, also arrives; them to move with safety. The there are two species of them known Death's-head Sphinx is one of the on the British coasts, the striped, and most extraordinary of these insects; common red Surmullet; but their it measures about six inches from the habits are similar; they keep near the point of one wing to that of the other; bottom, but pass from the Atlantic and is distinguished by a figure on ocean towards shallower water near the back, that closely resembles the the surface, and are taken at twenty head which is given to the figure of leagues from land, in nets spread for death; and from this, and being no Mackarel. They reach the shore about common insect, as well as from its Midsummer, and continue to be taken squeak when injured, a sound which | until Michaelmas. When there is sufresembles that of a mouse, it has ficient water in the rivers, the Salmon been regarded by the superstitious as Peal (Salmo Eriox) advances towards an ill omen. But it appears to be a the fountain head to deposit its spawn. harmless creature, except that when This fish is taken at the distance of it abounds, as in particular seasons it sixty miles from land, yet is said has been known to do, it is found to to return to the same river to breed. plunder honey from the beehives; and Animals of the natural order of MolHuber observed, that it was able to lusca, now abound; and particularly effect this without injury to itself, by the Medusa genus, which is seen keeping the bees quiet through a slowly floating, like masses of jelly, sound it uttered, which resembled the at different depths in the sea. They sound made by the Queen Bee. An- are, however, capable of moving with other species of Hawkmoth (Sphinx some degree of activity, by means of Stellatarum) flies by day, from flower their crenated marginal membrane. to flower, but never alights on them, Fishermen believe, that when in plenty, but extracts the honey by means of they indicate a favourable season of its long proboscis, while on the wing. Mackarel. The earliest summer fruits The beautiful colours of this insect now appear very seasonably. First glittering in the sun, dazzle the eyes; Strawberries, and then Cherries, are and moving as it does with great swift- brought to market; and the gardener ness, it has acquired the name of is on the watch, to prevent the SparHumming-bird Hawkmoth. Grass-row from having more than his share. hoppers chirp in every tuft of grass; and the Cricket leaves its place of refuge under the kitchen grate, to wander through the streets, which, during the night, it renders lively with its merry note. Cats destroy numbers of these creatures. Sea fish now abound:

The sounds and seas, each creek and bay,
With fry innumerable swarm, and shoals
Of fish, that with their fins and shining scales,
Glide under the green wave, in sculls that oft
Bank the mid sea; part single or with mate

Graze the sea-weed their pasture, and thro'

Come into flower in June:-Enchanter's Nightshade, Circæa lutetiana; Pale Butterwort, Pinguicula vulgaris; English Clary, Salvia verbenaca; Red Valerian, V. rubra; Marsh Valerian, V. dioica; Great Valerian, V. officinalis; Stinking Iris, I. foetidissima; Black Bog-rush, Schoenus nigricans ; Marsh Club-rush, Scirpus palustris; Small Scabious, Scabiosa columbaria ; Blue Sherardia, S. arvensis; Small Woodruff, Asperula cynanchica; Upright Marsh, and Wall Bedstraw, Galium erectum & anglicum; Wild Madder, Rubia peregrina; Greater Plantain, Plantago major; Hoary Plantain, P. media; Ribwort Plantain, P. The Garpike and Skipper (Esox lanceolata; Buckthorn Plantain, P. Bellone & E. Saurus) arrive from coronopus; Bastard Pimpernel, Cenwarmer latitudes; and the latter is tunculus minimus; Great Burnet, seen to rise as it is pursued by fish Sanguisorba officinalis; Dogwood, of prey, fly twenty or thirty feet, dip Cornus sanguinea; Dwarf Cornel, C. into the tide, and mount again, some- succica; Pellitory, Parietaria officinawhat after the manner of the Flying- lis; Common Ladies' Mantle, AlcheFish (Exocoetus); but the effect is ac-milla vulgaris; Parsley Piert, Alchecomplished only by the force of the milla Arvensis; Close-leaved shining, tail and dorsal fins, and not by the and curled Pondweed, Potamogeton

groves

Of coral stray; or sporting with quick glance Shew to the sun their way'd coats, drop'd with gold.

493

Monthly Observations.

494

densum, lucens, & crispum; Flat-lus; Flowering Rush, Butomus_umstalked Pondweed, P. compressum; bellatus; Yellow Bird's Nest, MonoMouse-ear Scorpion Grass, Myosotis trapa hypopitys; Marsh Andromeda, scorpioides; Common Alkanet, An- A. polifolia; Red-berried trailing Archusa officinalis; Common and green- butus, A. uva ursi; Hairy Saxifrage, leaved Hound's-tongue, Cynoglossum Saxifraga stellaris; London Pride, S. officinale & sylvaticum; Borage, umbrosa; Alpine Brook Saxifrage, S. Borago officinalis; Blue Viper's Bu- rivularis; Tufted Alpine Saxifrage, gloss, Echium vulgare; Small Bu- S. cæspitosa; Musky Alpine Saxigloss, Lycopsis arvensis; Bird's-eye frage, S. Moschata; Mountain Pink, Primrose, Primula farinosa; Buck- Dianthus cæsius; Berry-bearingChickbean, Menyanthes trifoliata; Feather-weed, Cucubalus vaccifer; Variegatfoil, Hottonia palustris; Moneywort, ed Catchfly, Silene quinque vulnera; Lysimachia nummularia; Scarlet Pim- Nottingham Catchfly, S. nutans; Moss pernel, Anagallis arvensis; Small Campion, S. acaulis; Glaucous Marsh Bindweed, Convolvulus arvensis; Ja- Stitchwort, Stellaria glauca; Bog cob's Ladder, Polemonium coeruleum; Stitchwort, S. uliginosa; Alpine StitchIvy-leaved Bellflower, Campanula he- wort, S. cerastoides; Sea Sandwort, deracea; Sheep's Bit, Jasione mon- Arenaria peploides; Thyme-leaved tana; Deadly Nightshade, Atropa Sandwort, A. serpyllifolia ; Sea Spurbelladonna; Woody Nightshade, So-rey Sandwort, A. marina; Fine-leaved Janum dulcamara; Garden Night- Sandwort, A. tenuifolia; Common shade, S. nigrum; Woodbine, Loni- Navelwort, Cotyledon umbilicus ; cera periclymenum; Black Saltwort, Greater Yellow Navelwort, C. lutea; Glaux maritima; Small and Great Thick-leaved Stonecrop, Sedum daHartwort, Tordylium officinale & maxi-syphyllum; Wallpepper, S. acre; Inmum; Small Bur Parsley, Caucalis sipid Stonecrop, S. sexangulare; daucoides; Wild Carrot, Daucus ca- | Hairy Stonecrop, S. villosum; Corn rota; Hemlock, Conium maculatum; Cockle, Agrostemma githago; Ragged Sea Sulphurwort, Peucedanum offi- Robin, Lychnis floscuculi; Alpine cinale; Sulphurwort Water Drop- Chickweed, Cerastium alpinum; Broad wort, Enanthe peucedanifolia; Cori-leaved rough Chickweed, C. latifoander, Coriandrum sativum; Water Hemlock, Phellandrium aquaticum; Shepherd's Needle, Scandix pecten veneris; Garden Chervil, S. cerefolium; Rough Chervil, Chærophyllum temulentum; Masterwort, Imperatoria Ostruthium; Carraway, Carum carui; Water Elder, Viburnum opulus; Common Elder, Sambucus nigra; Bladdernut Tree, Staphylea pinnata; Blue Flax, Linum perenne; Purging Flax, L. catharticum; Chive Garlic, Allium schænoprasum; Spiked Star of Bethlehem, Ornithogalum pyrenaicum; Mountain Spiderwort, Anthericum serotinum; Narrow-leaved Solomon's Seal, Convallaria verticillata; Sweet Flag, Acorus calamus; Curled Dock, Rumex crispus; Mountain Sorrel, R. digynus: Common Sorrel, R. acetosa; Sheep's Sorrel, R. acetosella; Star-headed Water Plantain, Alisma damasonium; Alpine Willow Herb, Epilobium alpinum; Whortleberry and Cranberry, Vaccinium vitis idæa & oxycoccus; Heath, Erica vulgaris; Irish Heath, E. dabeoci; Snakeweed, Polygonum bistorta; Alpine Bistort, P. vivifarum; Black Bindweed, P. convolvu

lium; Common Agrimony, Agrimonia eupatoria; Irish Spurge, Euphorbia hyberna; Meadow Sweet, Spiræa ulinaria; White Dog Rose, Apple Rose, Downy-leaved Dog Rose, and Sweet Briar, Rosa arvensis, villosa, tomentosa, & rubiginosa; Hiptree, R. canina; Dewberry, Stonebramble, and Cloudberry, Rubus cæsius, saxatilis, & chamamorus; Shrubby Cinquefoil, Silverweed, Strawberry-flowered Cinquefoil, Hoary Cinquefoil, and common Creeping Cinquefoil, Potentilla fruticosa, anserina, rupestris, argentea, & reptans; Common and trailing Tormentil, Tormentilla officinalis & reptans; Water Avens, Geum rivale; Marsh Cinquefoil, Comarum palustre; Long rough-headed, and smooth-headed Poppy, Papaver argemone & dubium; Corn Poppy, P. Rhæas; Yellow Poppy, P. Cambricum; Ledum-leaved Cistus, C. ledifolius; White Mountain Cistus, C. polifolius; Field Larkspur, Delphinum consolida; Alpine and Lesser Meadow Rue, Greater Meadow Rue, Thalictrum alpinum, minus, & majus; Lesser Spearwort, Ranunculus flammula; Pale Hairy Crawfoot, R. hirsu