EARLY SUMMER. 



259 



Now to return to the Grape Hyacinth : you will 

 not find it mentioned in any of those pretty little 

 books on the " Language of Flowers." It would 

 never do to include the Muscari, for the offer of 

 this flower in Eastern countries involves (if we are to 

 believe the German writer Museus) a statement of 

 affection so emphatic as to offend polite ears. 



March brings the Swallows. I 

 have seen them as early as the first 

 day of the month, but these may have 

 been stragglers. I think that they 

 do not generally return until the third 

 week or later. These are some of 

 the dates on which I have seen them 

 first: March 1st, 19th, 25th; April 1st, 

 21st. Of course, the swallows may 

 be flying for some time on the 

 Riviera before one catches sight of 

 them. In the ancient Roman calendar 

 the arrival of the swallows is marked 

 on February 24th, the only natural 

 history fact, I believe, which is to be found in their 

 calendar. In England, the swallows reappear about 

 April 19th. The Riviera date is, as we might expect, 

 intermediate. 



The Mole Cricket belongs also to this month. 

 I have marked the following dates : February 23rd ; 

 March 2nd, 22nd, 26th. Several butterflies emerge. 

 P. Machaon (the Carrot Swallow-tail) is on the wing. 

 The French appropriately call this butterfly the 

 Queen, for there are in Europe few rivals to dispute 

 her sceptre. A second Swallow-tail (P. Podalirius] 

 appears before the end of March, floating and hovering 



17A 



Fig. 95. 



MUSCARI RACEMOSUM 

 THE GRAPE HYACINTH 



