90 Indicatorial Calendar of Nature. 



pricious epicures of the days of Horace, valued it in proportion to its 

 size; not that the larger fish were more delicious, but that they were 

 more difficult to be got. Evidence of the high price and the luxury of 

 the age, appears from Juvenal : — 



" Mullum sex millibus emit, 



iEquantem sane paribus sestertia libris." 



" The lavish slave 



Six thousand pieces for a mullet gave, 

 A sesterce for each pound." 



But Apicius, a man of consular dignity, gave a still more unconscionable 

 sum, for he did not scruple bestowing 8000 nummi^ or 64/. 11*. 8rf., for a 

 fish of as small a size as the mullet. (iBee Pennant.) 



Birds. — Before the middle of May all our summer birds will have ar- 

 rived. The turtle-dove and fly-catcher are generally the two last. Through- 

 out the two coming months, all the singing birds (those that are constantly 

 with us, as well as temporary visitors) may be heard or seen. It is their 

 breeding season, after which, several of the emigrants which breed but once, 

 leave us. The young of most birds appear j and the congregating of those 

 of the insectivorous tribes makes it difficult to distinguish the various kinds 

 from each other. 



Insects. — Swarms of these will now burst from their egg and chrysalis 

 state. The dragon-flies leave the water, the element where they are born 

 and bred, and soar in the air, where they may be seen darting after smaller 

 winged insects, their prey. The gaudy family of butterflies, the mail-covered 

 though splendid tribe of beetles, and the curiously mechanical fraternity of 

 bees, every where intrude themselves on the notice of the naturalist. Spi- 

 ders weave their geometric-formed webs on every spray; and which may 

 be seen to reflect the prismatic colours, to entice the more readily their 

 unwary victims. The common buttei*fly, Papilio chrysomela alba, depo- 

 sits a red fluid ; and vast numbers of the insects in the air have dropt 

 this fluid in such quantities, as to give rise to the story of a shower of red 

 rain, which is given in Gassendi's Life ofPeirese. (See Brewster'' s Journaly 

 April, 1827.) 



Reptiles. — Toads, frogs, and efts may soon be seen changing from their 

 tadpole state to their perfect form. Soon after this, the frogs instinctively 

 leave the water, and secrete themselves on land, to avoid the notice of their 

 natural enemies, ducks, and other aquatic birds. Snakes cast their slough ; 

 and, with vipers and slow-worms, may be seen basking under hedges. 



Worms. — The dew-worm may be seen lying abroad, on warm moist 

 mornings, or during warm rain. Snails, with their curiously-coloured spiral 

 shells, may be seen roving about in moist weather, accompanied by their 

 shelless congeners, wherever moisture exists or their favourite food abounds. 

 In shallow brooks, in still parts at the edge of the stream, the Gordiu* may 

 "be seen, like an animated hair, waving its slender body in all directions. 

 ' Plants, — The greatest variety and the brightest glow of Flora's train 

 regale the senses in the two ensuing months. In the garden, the conspicu- 

 ous paeony, the irises, and ranunculuses are only equalled by the splendid 

 flowering shrubs of North America. In the Jields, the harebell, stitch- 

 wort, and herb-robert may be seen under every hedge ; in meadows, the 

 cuckoo-flower, germander-speedwell, scorpion-grass, and above all, that inte- 

 resting tribe of plants, the Orchideas, of which several sorts will appear in 

 this season. In the marshes may be seen the butterwort, loosestrife, and 

 sweet-gale ; and, in rivers, the white and yellow water lilies, water ranun- 

 culuses, and many other aquatic plants. 



Astronoinical Indications. — Next to the sun and moon, the other planetary 

 bodies are the most attractive to the eye; and, as some of your young readers 



