MAT. 141 



yet on the whole I think it advantageous to adopt 

 FORSTER'S nomenclature, premising, that in his view 

 each period has its culmination, or " maximum of 

 flowering beauty," when of course its aspect will best 

 appear in contrast with the culmination of its neigh- 

 bour. " As individual plants may be noted as flower- 

 ing, culminating, and deflowering, according as they 

 first open, arrive at full maturity, and fade, so the 

 same may be said of the aggregate of flowers of each 

 particular season, technically termed Floras. And 

 this is the best method we can adopt for illustrating 

 the face of nature at each of the six principal periods 

 of the revolving year."* 



The periods thus characterized are as follow, but to 

 render the subject more intelligible, I have somewhat 

 enlarged and further illustrated his minor details. 

 The various indications of the approach of the seasons, 

 constitute, as he observes, a subject of considerable 

 interest ; and they are to be deduced principally from 

 the periodical return of certain natural phenomena, 

 such as the re-appearance of the birds of passage, the 

 awakening of insects and other hybernators from their 

 long inaction, the pairing of animals, nidification of 

 the feathered tribes, the flowering of plants, and the 

 ripening of fruits. Let us now examine the divisions 

 adverted to. 



I. THE PEIMAVEEAL KEIGKN. 



II. THE VERNAL. 

 III. THE SOLSTITIAL. 



IY. THE ^ESTIVAL. 



Y. THE AUTUMNAL. 



VI. THE HIBERNAL. 



* FORSTIR'S Perennial Calendar, 8vo. p. 141. 



