28 Diary of a JVaturalist. 



cedar berries, (jumPERVsvirginiana,) in the vicinity of the garden. 



A small flock of cow-birds, (emberiza pecoris,) were observed 



feeding in the woods, with many blue-birds, (motacilla sialis,) 

 which have probably been deceived by the mild weather of the 

 last week of February. — Spring, or winter aconite, (eranthis 

 hyemalis,vel heleborvs hyemalis,) snow-drop, (galanthus 7iivalis,) 

 hearts'-ease, (viola tricolor,) and skunk cabbage, (pothos /a;<i(/a,) 

 in flower. In the hot-house we have a fine Amaryllis in flower, 

 from Rio dc Janeiro. This afternoon two vessels sailed up the 

 Schuylkill, the first this season. 



2. Snow has fallen all night, and this morning is three inches 

 deep — continuing to snow all day, and at sunset is eight or ten 

 inches deep— wind NE. moderate— at 8. P. M. clear and freezing. 



3. Fine sleighing in the morning, but commencing to thaw in 

 the middle of the day— in the evening the sleighs were going 

 through the mud— wind NE. — at sunset clear and cold, wind SW. 



4. A fine March morning ; the winter wren, (motacilla tro- 

 glodytes) crested titmouse, (parus bicolor,) and black capped tit- 

 mouse, (PARUS atricapillus,) are singing about the house as merry 

 as crickets. The flowers are several inches under the snow yet 

 — wind NE., and freezing. 



5. A fine thawing day. Wind SW. — Thermometer 54° at 

 3 P. M. During the morning the jay-birds, (corvus cristatus,) 

 kildeer plover, (charadrius vociferus,) and flicker, (pious auratus,) 

 were observed — snow beginning to disappear. 



6. Rained until noon— 3 P. M. thermometer at 50° — in the 

 afternoon very foggy — blue-jays and large flocks of meadow 

 larks, (alauda magna,) are flying about — wind SW. 



7. Morning warm and drizzling — very foggy — blue-jays, win- 

 ter wrens, blue-birds, kildeers, crested titmouse, &.c. about the 

 house. In the morning there was a shower of rain from the W. 

 with thunder in the distance. Lightning in the SSE.— wind 

 brisk from the SSW. 



8. A clear warm morning: about 10 A. M. wind changed to 

 J\JW. — weather colder — saw a flock of wild pigeons (columba 

 migraloria,) and cow-buntings. Began freezing about 5 P. M. 



9. Ice this morning an inch in thickness. Clear and cool, wind 

 NW., moderate. In the middle of the day thawing in the sun — 

 crow blackbirds, (gracula gMisca/a,) are seen about the house, 

 very tame — freezing in the evening — wind WSW. 



