38 IRambles wttb IRature Students 



If a mole chances to be on the surface of the 

 ground, he makes a furrow as he flounders through 

 the snow, and his footprints are alternate. 



I was much puzzled by a three-pronged impression 

 always with a connecting line in the middle, but at 

 last I discovered it to be made by the pheasant ; it 

 plants one foot exactly in front of the other, and 

 the long hind toe makes the trailing line between 

 the footprints. 



Pigeons and doves, having very short legs, are 

 apt to help themselves along with their wings, and 

 these leave a sort of blurred trail rather difficult to 

 make out, until one has seen one of these birds 

 plodding with difficulty through the snow. 



With a little study we may soon distinguish the 

 birds that walk from those that run or hop, and 

 once our attention has been called to this subject 

 of footprints, we shall find it a rather amusing 

 interest added to our winter rambles. 



THE LESSER CELANDINE (Ranunculus ficaria] 



The lesser celandine is amongst the earliest of our 

 spring flowers. 



' The first gilt thing 

 That wears the trembling pearls of spring.' 



Wordsworth. 



Its bright cheery flowers may be found in this 

 month starring the ground in sheltered nooks or on 

 hedge banks. It is one of the buttercup family, and 

 possesses a rather curious root, consisting of small 

 oval-shaped tubers ; these break off very readily when 



