s preface 



I am going to take for granted that a large number 

 of my readers belong to the former class, that they 

 are intelligent observers, and yet are in need of a 

 guide to help them to understand the thousand and 

 one things that they may see in a country walk. 



The curious objects in hedges, trees, and fields all 

 have a purpose and a meaning, but very often these 

 need interpretation for those who never have had 

 the opportunity of acquiring facts in natural history. 



The practice of putting down the results of each 

 day's ramble, making notes of things seen or 

 obtained, the first appearances of birds and insects, 

 the flowering of trees and plants, will result in the 

 course of a few months in a record possessing a 

 certain value. We can thus compare one year with 

 another, and note the differences in each, and the 

 effect of temperature in hastening or retarding the 

 appearance of flowers and insects, and the arrival 

 of migratory birds. 



The remarks I shall endeavour to make upon all 

 these and other points will be the result of my own 

 actual observations, made from day to day and noted 

 down at once, so that any readers who may like to 

 follow this plan can do so with ease, if they happen 

 to live in the country or have access to it from time 

 to time. 



The first appearances of birds, insects, and flowers 

 may vary somewhat as to date, according to the 

 mildness or severity of the winter, so that I cannot 

 promise that every object that I write about will 



