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walls. All the Floras say July and August. It was abundantly in 

 flower the first week in June. 



May 27. — Malva rotundifolia and Convolvulus arvensis in flower. 

 The Floras say June for the latter, and Forster gives June 26 as its 

 commencement of flowering. The meadows have already cast off 

 their golden robe of buttercups, the grasses are grown high, and a 

 cinereous hue prevails from their being generally in flower. The 

 grating of the corn-crake resounds every evening. 



May 28. — Privet {Ligustrum vulgare) just coming into flower. 

 Clare, the Northamptonshire poet, in his observant sketches, has well 

 combined the privet with other summer flowers : — 



" How sweet the walks by hedge-row bushes seem, 

 On this side wavy grass, on that the stream ; 

 While dog-rose, woodbine, and the privet-spike 

 On the young gales their rural sweetness teem, 

 With yellow flag-flowers rustling in the dyke.'' 



Rosa villosa in flower. Doniana and canina plentifully. A few 

 flowers of Cornus sanguinea expanded. 



May 30. — Foxglove {Digitalis purpurea) in flower. June 6 is the 

 day when, according to Forster, it " begins to flower." He saj's they 

 continue all through the aestival season, though " they first blow early 

 in the solstitial." 



Cornus sanguinea in full flower. Woodvetch {Vicia sylvatica) in 

 flower on the banks of the brook at Sapey, famous for the legend of 

 the tracks of Saint Catharine's mare and colt. The wild scene of 

 broken sandstone slabs over which the brook murmurs in many a 

 water-break, is indeed well worthy of a legend ; and to gratify the ex- 

 ploratory naturalist, I can say the " tracks " are still there ! Geum 

 rivale and intermedium in flower by the same brook, just above Sapey 

 Pritchard Bridge. Polygonum Bistorta and the Columbine, both in 

 full flower, also adorned this romantic vicinity, as well as the white 

 odorous Habenaria chlorantha. The Vicia sylvatica covered the 

 bushes about the banks of the brook most profusely. The Floras in- 

 dicate July for its flowering. 



May 31. — Common mallow {Malva sylvestris) in flower. Com- 

 mences flowering according to Foster on June 16. This common 

 road-side plant forms a very good test for an early season. The 

 temperature that had urged on the progress of vegetation was now, 

 however, on the decline, though its effects will be traced further. 

 Maximum temp, of this day 69|-°, and the mean temperature of the 



