110 APRIL. 



world ; because trees, shrubs, and herbs, bud, leaf, 

 and flower, and shed their leaves in every country 

 according to the different seasons. Hunter's edition 

 of Evelyn's Sylva. 



The kite now approaches farm-houses and vil- 

 lages in search of food and materials to construct 

 his nest ; at all other times he carefully avoids the 

 haunts of man. In April, or early in the next month, 

 the lapwing, or peewit, (vanellus cristatus,) lays her 

 eggs and sits, for she makes no rest. The beech, 

 the larch, and the elm are now in full leaf. The 

 larch also exhibits its red tufts of flowers, which 

 soon expand into cones ; and the fir tribe show their 

 cones also. The yellow Star of Bethlehem blooms 

 in woods and by small streams. Also the vernal 

 squill among maritime rocks, and the wood-sorrel 

 on banks and in shady places. 



There is a singular appearance often observed in 

 spring, which has excited many a superstitious ter- 

 ror in the minds of the simple country people, and 

 in reality is very striking. It is the print of foot- 

 steps across the grass of the fields, as though they 

 had been footsteps of fire. The grass is burnt black 

 in the footprints, presenting a startling contrast 

 with the vivid green of that around. The common 

 people have consequently concluded these to be the 

 traces of the nocturnal perambulations of Satan ; 

 whereas they are those of some one of themselves 

 who has crossed the fields while the night-frost was 

 on the grass, which at this season is very tender, 

 and is as effectually destroyed by the pressure of a 



