The Scottish ATaturalist. 133 



vSaxifraga oppositifolia alba, loth (1877, March 2 ; 1878, 



February 20). 

 Veronica rupestris, loth (1878, in flower most of the winter). 

 Saxifraga oppositifoha major, 12th (1877, March 18). 



,, ,, vulgaris, 20th (1877, March 22). 



Dondia epipactis, 20th. 



Arabis procurrens, 20th (1878, in flower most of the winter). 

 Primula denticulata, 20th (1878, February 23). 



On the 4lh, Phigalia pilosaria appeared ; and on the 8th, Hyheniia riipi- 

 capraria. On the 4th, a tub in which some water-plants were growing was, 

 for the first time since November, free from ice. On the 14th, the Snow- 

 drops which had come well into flower were all drooping, as the thermometer 

 had fallen to 18° or less. They afterwards recovered perfectly. 



April was a cold and variable month, with snow and frost. The following 

 plants flowered : — 



Scilla siberica, 4th (1878, February, 2d week). 



Primula vulgaris, 4th (1878, end of March). 



Chrysosplenium alternifolium, 6th (1878, February, 2d week). 



Corydalis cava, loth (1878, end of March). 



Schivereckia podalica, loth. 



Aubrietia puipurea, 12th (187S, February, 2d week). 



Eriophorum vaginatum, 12th (1878, end of April). 



Ranunculus ficaria, 15th (1878, February, 2d week).. 



Ribes sanguineum, i8th. 



Salix caprea, i8th. 



Arabis albida, 20th (1878, end of March). 



Apricot (on wall), 20th. 



Myosotis dissitiflora, 22d (1878, February 23). 



Viola hirta, 22d (1878, end of March). 



Corydalis bulbosa, 24th (1878, end of March). 



Arabis alpina, 25th (1878, January, remaining in flower 



from December). 

 Omphalodes verna, 27th (1877, May 9; 1878, February 23). 

 Myosotis collina, 28th (1878, end of April). 

 Thlaspi alpestre, 28tli. 



The Swallow and House- Martin were reported to me as having been seen 

 on the 31st, on which, in the morning, the ground was white with snow. 



Vanessa 7irticie (the small tortoiseshell butterfly) appeared in the garden, 

 after hybernation, about the loth. This butterfly was, a week or two later, 

 commoner in the garden than I have ever noticed it before. It was not 

 unusual to see four or five specimens at once, though there were no nettles 

 (the food-plant of the larvae) to attract them. Colonel Drummond Hay tells 

 me that he noticed an unusual number at Seggiden also ; on the other hand, 

 Sir Thomas Moncreifi'e says that he has not seen at Moncreiffe more than 

 about the usual number. The commonest of the humble-bees [Bombtis luco- 

 runi) has also been unusiially common this spring. The severe winter, pro- 

 bably, kept their enemies, the mice, from searching for them. About the 

 2 1 St, Hybcrnia progemviaria, a moth usually abundant with us in February 

 and early March, was rather common — in good condition. 



