P R E F A C E. 245 



convinced that this method marks more precifcly 

 when we may expedl the flowering of any plant, 

 or the return of any bird, &:c. tlian the bare men- 

 tion of the day of a common calendar month, 

 and at the fame time marks it more univerfally. 

 Thus, when Arifiiotle fays *, That the nightin- 

 gale fings continually day and night for hfteen 

 days about the time when the young leaves begin 

 to expand and thicken the woods, he not only 

 marks a time, when they might expedt to hear 

 the nightingale in Greece, but in every other 

 countrey -, for thus it happens in Sweden and Eng- 

 land, as may be feen in the following Calendars ; 

 whereas if he had faid, it appeared in fuch a day 

 of the month, it would bear trut^ perhaps for 

 that year only ; and in fa6l we find in the old 

 almanacks the fame author marking days very 

 dillant from one another, for the appearance of 

 the fame birds, and thus it mufl be likewife in 



relation to olants. 



-.■*■- 

 Thus far for the Swedifn Calendar. As t3 



iny own, ift. i have marked every circumfiance 



down as i found it in my journal, and hope the 



learned reader will pardon any millakes which 



might happen, either from want of judgment or 



attention. It is pofTible, that i might put down 



fome plants as firfb being in bud, or tiov/er, or 



* His words are ojav 7^ o£^? HcTm <^A<Tuvi{lcu i. e. when the 

 mountain is thickening, whCiC it is certain the word mountain is 

 ufed for the trees which generally crow upon it. Thu> 

 Homer applies the word jKioivJa, to a^iet for that reafon, liia:!. 

 A. 157. and Euflathiu. upon t!"c place fays, Irgoc eTs art, 



Pliny tranflates this palfage, denj ant : Je frondlum gcr mine. 



R 3 eaf. 



