OCTOBEE. 487 



Mr. T. FOKSTEB, in his Encyclopaedia of Natural 

 Phenomena, says that " Berries in the hedges often 

 forbode a hard winter, and severe weather frequently 

 occurs in seasons when they are particularly plentiful 

 on the Eosebush and Hawthorn." So CLABE, in his 

 homely notices, says with reference to the squirrel's 

 stores 



" How against winter it was well prepar'd 

 With many a store in hollow root or tree, 

 As if being told what winter's wants would be 

 Its nuts and acorns he would often find, 

 And hips and haws, too, heaped plenteously 

 In snug warm corner." 



But these wise saws of hard winters, betokened by 

 plenty of berries, are by no means to be depended on, 

 though a large crop of berries may invite numerous 

 fruit-eating birds. 



FRUIT AND BERRY-BEARING BRITISH TREES 



AND SHRUBS. 



Barberry (Herberts vulgaris), berries crimson. 

 Spindle-tree (Euonymus Europceus), capsules pink. 

 Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus catharticus), berries black. 

 Alder Buckthorn (R. frangula), berries at first red, finally deep 



purple. 



Common Sloe or Slon, (Prunus spinosa), drupes downy blue, 

 finally purple black. 



" the ripening sloes, yet blue, 



Take the bright varnish of the morning dew." CP.ABBE. 

 Raspberry (Rubus Idceus), fruit red. 

 Upright bramble (R. suberectus), fruit at first bright red, at 



length deep mulberry. 



Blackberry (Rubus var. species), fruit at first reddish, finally 

 deep black. 



" the berries of the brambly wood 

 That stud the straggling briers as black as jet." CLARE. 



