TWELFTH TIDE. » 



JAN. 9. St. Peter of Sebaste, bishop, confessor, 

 A.D. 387. 

 St. Maiciana V. M. St. Felan. 

 SS. Julian and Basilissa, martyrs. 

 St. Adrian. St. Vanegang. 

 St. Brithwald of Canterbury. 



Agonalia. — Julian Cal, 



Obs. St. Gregory Nazianzen relates that St. Peter's family of 

 Sebaste afforded the most illustrious example of almost a whole fa- 

 mily of saints and heroes. 



St. Marciana was a virgin and martyr about the year 309. She 

 was torn to pieces by a wild bull and by a leopard in the amphi- 

 theatre at Caesarea. In the Breviary of Toledo she is commemo- 

 rated on the r2th July ; and there is a beautiful hymn to her in the 

 Mozarabic Breviary. According to Chatelain she placed on her 

 head the laurel of martyrdom on the 9th of January. See BtUler's 

 Lives of the Saints, vol. i. p. 124. 



Common Laurel Primus Laurocerasus. 



Spencer in his Fairie Queane speaks of this shrub as 

 " The laurel meede of mightie conquerors;" 

 but we rather suspect he alludes to the Bay than to our common 

 Laurel. 



During the hard weather which usually prevails about this time 

 great quantities of Fieldfares are frequently seen in the southern 

 parts of England. In 1820 they were very numerous, but their 

 numbers vary very much in different years. Sea Gulls frequently 

 come to the inland parts of the country, and some rare foreign birds 

 also make their appearance. That curious little bird the Longtailed 

 Titmouse Mecistwra vagans is more often seen in this than in any 

 other season. 



