HILARY TIDE. 11 



JAN. 11. St. Theodosius the Cenobiarch, a.d. 

 529. 

 Also SS. Hyginus, Egwin, Salvius. 



Carmentalia. — Julian Cal. 



Obs. St. Theodosius was born in 423 at Maiissa in Cappadocia. 

 He was early in life ordained a reader, but in pious example of 

 Abraham he left his country, and making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem 

 visited in his way the famous pillar of St. Simeon Stylites. He 

 afterwards lived a hermit's life on a rock not far from Bethlehem, 

 but got by degrees a flock of monks about him, which induced him 

 to build a monastery at Cathismus which had infirmaries for the 

 sick poor attached to it. In it several languages were spoken, as it 

 consisted of Greeks, Persians, Arabians, and the northern nations, 

 and had four churches, each of which belonged to a nation speaking 

 a different language. St. Theodosius lived on vegetable food exclu- 

 sively, and died at the advanced age of 105 years. He was buried 

 in his first eremitical cell called the Cave of the Magi, because the 

 wise men of old who came to adore Jesus Christ were said to have 

 lodged in it. 



Early Moss Bryum hornum fr. 



This as well as some other mosses being now in fructification may 

 be studied by the botanist with most advantage. 



The weather is usually remarkably cold about this time, and 

 Fieldfares and other hybornal birds very numerous. The Kingfisher 

 Aicedo hispida has been s en on this day in the marshes about Lee 

 Bridge in Essex, of which instances are on record as early as the 

 year 1780. If it should happen to be mild, the Blole Taipa Europccus 

 begins to work and to throw up those noted hillocks which if not 

 levelled by the bush farrow but let to get hard are such an obstruc- 

 tion to the scythe in mowing in the solstitial season. In digging into 

 the ground and in stubbing up the hollow roots of trees, we find at 

 this time of year the hybernaculaof various dormant animals: several 

 sorts of Fieldmice dwell in subterraneous caves during winter. Cock- 

 chafers and other insects bury themselves, and the larvae of Sphinxes 

 and INloths are found concealed. Virgil alludes to these hybornating 

 animals, and considers them as pests to the husbandman : 

 Turn variae illudant pastes saepe exiguus mus 

 Sub terris cavatque domes atque horrea fecit 

 Aut oculis capti fodere cubilia talpae. 



Virg, Gear. i. 



