290 LUKE TIDE. 



OCT. 16. St. Gall, abbot, a.d. 646. 

 St. LuUus, abp. of Mentz, 787. 

 St. Mummolin, bishop of Noyon, 665. 



Obs. St. Gall was born in Ireland soon after the middle of the 

 sixth century. He was a constant companion of St, Columban, and 

 imitator of his virtues, sharing even in his persecutions. St. Co- 

 lumban retired into Italy ; St. Uall was unwilling to be separated 

 from him, but was prevented from bearing him company by a 

 grievous fit of illness. Some time after he left Ireland, and settled 

 near the lake of Constance. He converted to the faith a great num- 

 ber of idolators, and was justly regarded as the apostle of that terri- 

 tory. He was chosen abbot of Luxen in 625. Mabillon places the 

 death of our saint about the year 646, on the 16th of October. 



There was another St. Gall, bishop of Clermont in Auvergne, who 

 must not be confounded with the saint of today. 



St. Lullus was an Englishman by birth, and educated in the 

 abbey of Malmsbury in Wdts!iire. He died in his retreat in the 

 monastery of Hartfield, having previously resigned his dignities. 



Yarrow Achillaea millifolium still fl. 

 Woodcock Scolopax rusticola arrives in plenty. 

 Snipe Gullinago viajor arrives in plenty. 



The Wooiicocks do not come in large flocks, but keep liropping in upon our 

 shores singly, or sometimes in pairs, from tlie l>es;inning of October till De- 

 cember. Tliey must have the instinctive precaution of landing only in the 

 night, or in d:hk mi^ty we ither, for they are never seen to arrive, but are fre- 

 quently discovered the next morning in any ditch which atfords shelter, and 

 particularly alter the extraordinary fatigue occasioned by the adverse gales 

 which they often have to encounter in their aeiial voyage. They do uot re- 

 main near the shoves to lake their rest longer than a day, but commonly find 

 themselves surticiently recruited in that time to proceed inland, to the very 

 same haunts which they left ihe iireceding season. In temperate weather they 

 retire to the mossy moors and hi.'h bleak mountainnus paits of the country; 

 but as soon a' the frost sets in, and the snows bc/in to fall, they return to 

 lower and warmer situations, where they meet with boggy grounds and springs, 

 and little oozini; mossy rills whicb aie rarely frczen,"aiid seek the shelter of 

 close bushes of holly, furze, and l>rakes, in the woody glens or hollow dells 

 which are covered with underwood : there they remain concealed during the 

 day, and remove to different haunts and feed only in the nisht. From the be- 

 ginning of March to the end of that month, or sometimes to the middle of 

 April, they all keep drawing towards the coasts, and avail themselves of the ' 

 first fair wind to return to tlieir native woods. 



The Snipe also comes now in plenty, and inliabits similar situations. From 

 its vigilance and manner of flyiii?, it is one of the most difficult birds to shoot. 

 Some sportsmen can imitate their cries, and by that means <lraw them within 

 reach of their shot , others, of a less honourable description, prefer the more 

 certain and laborious method of catching them in the night by a springe like 

 that which is used for the Woodcock. The Snipe is niii;ratory, and is met with 

 in all countries : like the Woodcock, it shuns the extremes of heat and cold, 

 by keeping upon the bleak moors in summer, and seeking the shelter of the 

 valleys in winter. In severe frosts and storms of snow, driven by the extre- 

 mity of the weather, they seek the unfrozen boggy places, runners from 

 springs, or any open streamlet of water, and tliey are siire to be found, oftea in 

 considerable numbers, iu these places. 



