BY THE RIVEnS AWT) THE STREAMLETS. 227 



late into September, when the equinoctial gales tell of 

 the advent of winter, as they moan along the uplands 

 like the wail of the wild flowers. 



BY THE EEVEES AND THE STEEAMLETS. 



" river-side ! 



Where soft green rushes bear dark flowers, 

 And reedy grasses weave dark bowers 

 Through which fleet minnows glide ; 

 river banks ! let me from you convey 

 Something to scatter in that minster gray." 



THIT7T.TH August days come the jovial " rush-bear- 

 ing " times, yet kept up in the north and east. 

 Where the imperfect drainage permits the rushes 

 still to flourish, we shall find the tall Bulrush (Scirpm 

 lacustris), with its fringed brown head nodding in the 

 breeze, ere the basket-bottomer gathers it, or the 

 villager comes for it to form the wick of the humble 

 rushlight. The Sweet Mag (Acorws calamus) wa? 



15 2 



