XXV. 



RErORT OX PHEXOLOGICAL PHENOMENA OBSERVED IX 

 HERTFORDSHIRE DURING THE YEAR 188'2. 



By John Hopkinson, F.L.S., F.M.S., &c., Hon, Sec. 



Read at Watford, 20th March, 1883. 



The number of observers of phenological phenomena in 1882 

 shows a slight falling oil compared with the number during the 

 two previous years. We have to regret the loss of our observer at 

 Berkhamstead, Mr. A. S. Eve, and our observer at Great Hormead 

 near Buntiugford, the Bev. J. S. ifoster Chamberlain, who have left 

 our county. Although we thus lose our records from these 

 localities, it is satisfactory to know that our former observers are 

 still carrying on their investigations, and that the loss to our 

 Society is a gain to science, for while Hertfordshire is very far 

 in advance of any other county in the number of its observers of 

 phenological phenomena, by this change two other counties, 

 Bedfordshii'e and Lancashire, which before were unrepresented, 

 now have observers who contribute their reports to the Meteoro- 

 logical Society. "We have therefore to omit from our principal 

 table showing the dates of flowering of plants, the two localities, 

 Berkhamstead and Great Hormead. We have however a new 

 observer at Boyston, Mr. A. Kingston, so that this table now 

 comprises returns from the following places : — Watford, St. Albans, 

 Harpenden, Hoddesdon, Hertford, Ware (Fanhams Hall), Saw- 

 bridgeworth (High Wych), Odsey, and Boyston. 



Bhenological observations have now been taken by members of 

 our Society for the last seven years, and this year (1882) is the first 

 in which the time of flowering of the whole of the 71 species of 

 which records are desired has been noted. The species which has 

 not before been observed is Gentiana Amarella, which was 

 substituted some years ago for Gentiana campestris, a rarer species 

 not so likely to be found in Hertfordshire. 



Of these 71 species we observed 57 in the neighboiirhood of 

 Watford ; 1 1 were observed near St. Albans by Mr. A. E. Gibbs ; 

 56 at Harpenden by Mr. J. J. Willis; 15 at Hoddesdon by Miss 

 Alice Warner ; 63 in the neighbourhood of Hertford by Mr. B. T. 

 Andrews ; 23 at Fanhams Hall near Ware by Mr. B. B. Croft ; 

 29 at High Wych near Sawbridgeworth by Miss Simpson ; 20 at 

 Odsey by Mr. H. George Fordham ; and 36 at Boyston by Mr. A. 

 Kingston. These observations are recorded in the table on pp. 

 182, 183. 



The observers contribute the following notes on the flowering of 

 some of the plants : — 



4. CaltJia palustris. At Amwell and Hoddesdon 20th March, 

 but owing to dryness of season specimens at Fanhams had not 

 flowered at the end of the month. — B. B. C. 



7. Cardamine pratensis. At Hoddesdon, 20th March. — B. B. C. 



9. Viola odorata. Harpenden. — In profusion in open fields and 



