A BOTANICAL UAM13LE 0\ THE liANKS OF THE DAIIT. 197 



diatelj became aa object of attraction to a host of the smaller birds the 

 contents falling a prey to their mischievous propensities. I captured the 

 offending ringleaders^ and procured, for greater privacy, a much larger box bush 

 inserting, as before, some hay in its centre, nearly impervious to exterior view. 

 A few days only elapsed before a second nest was here in progress, the chief 

 material, as before, being bits of paper, but more scientifically lined than the 

 original one, with layers of hay and -Btrips of bass matting. Indeed, the two 

 nests differed extremely in construction as well as size. On the 29th. of July 

 an egg was laid, followed by a second, after which the hen rarely left the 

 nest, except during very short periods, for food. For this she usually came 

 into the parlour, particularly at the breakfast hour, to partake of some chopped 

 egg, or bread and butter, with great familiarity. Nothing more delighted her 

 mate than this opening of the window, which he requited with incessant 

 singing, in any part of the room. A more attached pair cannot be conceived. 

 Now and then his song would be acknowledged by a succession of Jicgs from 

 the female on her nest. On the lith. of August hatching took place. To 

 my extreme regret, the parents paid but little attention to their infant brood, 

 which soon perished. Occasionally the hen went to them in apparent distress, 

 but something was wrong in the article of food. Of the latter, various kinds, 

 animal and vegetable, were placed for choice; still the 07ie thine/ needful was 

 evidently missing. I suspect that insect aliment of some sort is indispensable; 

 for flies, moths, etc., are at all times pursued, and generally successfully, by 

 these birds, if chance lead such into the conservatory or parlour. A third 

 nest was subsequently in progress, but some cold weather ensued, and from 

 the lateness of the season, I did not encourage farther proceedings. I'he 

 birds are still in song. 



September 8th., 1851. 



A BOTANICAL RAMBLE ON THE BANKS OF THE DART. 



BY S. IIANNAFORD, ESQ., JUN. 



"T'was that dolis^litfiil season when the broom, 

 Full-flowered, and visible on every steep, 

 Alon^ the copses runs in veins of gold." 



WoilDS WORTH. 



There is perhaps no county in England with so great a variety of wild 

 flowers as Devonshire, particularly at this season of the year, when almost 

 all the spring flowers are in bloom. A few days since, I took a quiet 

 ramble by the banks of the River Durt, from Totnes to Hood, a distance 

 of about four miles, and was struck with the number of new specimens 

 which had opened within the last month; I should say from fifty to sixty at 

 least. I trust the results of my stroll may not prove uninteresting to some 

 of your readers. 



