JULY. 241 



though unknown a few years ago, it is now spreading with 

 alarming rapidity, and laughs at our efforts to control it. 

 Another pernicious weed is likewise becoming an object of 

 some attention; though it has not yet attained the noto- 

 riety of the former. I allude to Spurry (Spargula Arven- 

 sis), so abhorred by some of our farmers, that they have 

 given it the name of " devil's gut." It has a long, but very 

 slender stem, trailing on the ground, with nodules about an 

 inch apart, at each of which the stem forms an angle. The 

 leaves and flowers are inconspicuous; the seed-vessels are 

 numerous, globular, and about as large as peas : the stems 

 trail a long way from the roots, and twine and entangle one 

 with another. It chiefly infests new land ; but I suppose 

 the seed has been imported with other seeds from Europe. 

 There, I have understood, it is sometimes sown for the sake 

 of its herbage, which affords an abundant and nutritious food 

 for cattle. These three are the worst weeds that infest our 

 crops: we have many others; but they do not spread so 

 rapidly as these, and can in some measure be kept under. 



C. — Oh ! what a beautiful bird is on that apple tree : 

 his back is bright azure blue, and his breast reddish brown. 



F, — That is the Blue Bird (Saxicola SialisJ, It is not 

 very common with us, but is a universal favourite wherever 

 it appears. I have seen it here as late as the month of Oc- 

 tober, and have no doubt that it arrives from the south 

 pretty early in spring, though I have not met with it at 

 that season. It appears to frequent the clearing more than 

 the forest, and to be rather familiar with man, and of a 

 mild and confiding disposition. In the south I have seen 

 them abundant ; but cannot add anything to Wilson's very 

 minute and accurate account of their economy. His simple 

 stanzas in honour of this pretty bird are so beautifully feel- 

 ing, that I need make no excuse for repeating them to you. 



M 



