NATURE IN DECEMBER. 2/5 



How the ricks stand out in the landscape when they are 

 covered with snow, appearing like huge snow stacks in the 

 distance. 



Having passed the shortest day and the longest night, the 

 Nature lover begins to look forward to the budding Spring 

 again. 



One of the finest evergreens just now is the Sweet Bay tree, 

 and as we stand gazing at a fine old tree which has snapped 

 off and left the trunk a mere wreck, we remark to our compan- 

 ion that the Goat Moth is responsible for the fall of it. 



The haunt of the Badger is admirably illustrated in the 

 two photographs Mr. Newman has taken, and further comment 

 is needless. How we can watch the Green Woodpecker 

 now 1 When the foliage was on the trees we soon lost him 

 as he darted through the woodland glade, but now we can 

 observe him for some considerable distance. With a field- 

 glass we may see his beautiful red head and various green 

 plumes. What a fine fellow he is. His two relations the Great 

 and Lesser Spotted varieties must not be overlooked, for both 

 of them are well worth a careful study. 



The glittering silver shells of Fresh Water Mussels by the side 

 of some inland lake attract our attention, and all too soon 

 darkness sets in, an4 we are pleased to have a chat round the 

 cosy parlour fire. 



Thus our year with Nature comes to an end. It has been a 

 difficult matter to dp justice to the Natural History of the 

 Months, for it is a wide field and there must be some limit. 



We have not rambled so much by the sea-shore to watch and 

 describe the sea birds in their myriads our rambles have 

 mostly been in the Southern and Midland Counties, and we have 

 described, feeble though the descriptions may be, actual 

 sights and sounds which we ourselves have seen and heard 

 and participated in. We have not sat in our study and 

 pictured things in the mind, these sketches have been written 

 mostly on the spot, so that we do not think we have gone 

 far wrong. 



What short-comings and omissions there may be are to a 

 certain extent pardonable, we have catered for the ordinary 

 public and not for Scientists ; we have been mindful rather 



