296 CORRESPONDENCE. 



same locality, last flowers of Epilobium hirsutum ; Geranium pratense still 

 in flower by woodside near foot of Weaver. 23rd, Birch leaves by now 

 changing colour. 24th, noticed an isolated case of a Birch in Churnet 

 Valley woods nearly bare ; leaves of Corylus Avellana " yellowing." 

 25th to 28th, leaves of Beech commenced to fall. 28th, fruit of 

 Sambiicus nigra ripe at Farley, in wild state, first noticed, a few berries 

 only ripe. 25th to 29th, Sycamore first shedding leaves. 30th, Centaurea, 

 Prunella vulgaris, Geranium Robertianum, Campanula rotundi folia, Lychnis, 

 Staehys sylvatica, &c, still in flower ; Blackberries very plentiful ; Hazel- 

 nuts very scarce. General Notes from May to September. — Very few flowers 

 of Crataegus Oxyacantha ; blossom only occasionally seen, and but 

 little fruit. The hay harvest commenced at the end of June, 

 and considerable damage was done to the crop by subsequent heavy 

 rains, especially by the falls of July 17th, 0-920 inch, and August 7th, 

 1-515 inch during the passage of a serious cyclone. Some of the best 

 hay was gathered at the foot of the Weaver Hills during the sway of the 

 succeeding barometric crest, anti-cyclonic pressures of the second week 

 in August, and dry period following, when the most favourable conditions 

 for harvesting prevailed in accordance with the summer character of 

 this type of weather, which is always more or less permanent. Pieris 

 Brassica and P. Rupee very scarce throughout the entire period. I counted 

 about three " white" Butterflies altogether, and the assistant at my obser- 

 vatory declares he only remembers seeing one. Brown Butterflies seldom 

 seen, (assistant remembers noticing six,) but of more frequent occurrence 

 than the Cabbage Butterfly. MeloUmtha vulgaris, the common Cockchafer, 

 I recollect only to have seen once. Only one or two Grasshoppers were 

 observed. Wasps very numerous and many nests taken. Apis mellijica, 

 the common Hive Bee, not often seen. Very few Larks. Heard Alauda 

 arvensis singing in the spring but " now and again ; " noticed but few 

 Swifts. — Clement L. Wragge. 



A Walk in November, with Observations on Autumn Fruits and 

 Foliage. — On Tuesday, November 2nd, I walked to the quaint old town 

 of Olney, Bucks, returning home through Yardley Chase. To those 

 botanists who look for flowers alone my walk would have seemed a cheer- 

 less one, for the " gentle race ! ' had nearly all passed away ; a few rain- 

 beaten specimens of the never-failing Daisy, some yellow Crowfoots, the 

 ubiquitous Groundsel, and a few Bagworts and Devil's-bit Scabious were 

 nearly all that remained of the summer's glory. In the place of the 

 flowers, which were faded and gone, many brightly-coloured berries and 

 curiously-formed seed vessels adorned the banks and hedgerows. The 

 wild Clematis threw its elegant stems in graceful profusion over the 

 hedge, garnished with bunches of white feathery Achenes. In many a 

 shaded nook still lingered some of " those berries that emboss the 

 bramble, black as jet." Most of the fruit was spoilt by the late excessive 

 rains and by the frost. There had been promise of a good crop this 

 season. The foliage exhibited every shade of colour from dark green to 

 bright red and purple. The Wild Rose flings its stems loosely over the 

 hedge, displaying the bright " scarlet hips" ; both these and the " stony 

 haws " of the thorns are but sparingly distributed this year. The leaves 

 of the Guelder Bose were a bright red colour, many shrubs being laden 

 with clusters of the wax-like berries formed a very pleasing object. 

 Some of the other " clustering fruits " which garnished the hedges were 

 the crimson berries of the Honeysuckle, the Bryonies, and the woody 

 Nightshade, which was more deeply tinged with orange. Flora's 

 mourners, in true funereal garb, might also be noticed — the 

 Privet, the Buckthorn, and the Dogwood — the foliage of this 

 latter shrub dies off a deep blood-red colour, and where growing 



