30 CONTRY RAMBLES. 



12th. The Coltsfoot is a mass of golden on the railway banks 

 now. The Almond blossom is in its beauty. Skylark and Chaffinch 

 singing. The Blackbird is still silent 1 Nutmeg foliage out in the 

 garden. Splendid show of Primroses and Violets; the latter are 

 very late this year. A dull day, windy. Rooks and Lapwings on the 

 ploughed land. Many Spiders in the garden. The scarlet buds of 

 the Wall-creeper just discernible. Chaffinch and Sparrows almost 

 the only birds seen in the garden now. The Robin his quite 

 forsaken me. Hawthorn green in places. Travelling in the train 

 and elsewhere, has the reader ever noticed the various shapes of the 

 fields? It is quite a study. 



13th. It has blown a Westerly gale for 24 hours^ Slight showers 

 occasionally, but good deal of brilliant sunshine. Skylarks all paired 

 off now. It is Good Friday to-day, and, of course, I have had my 

 turn of gardening. Every working man looks forward to Eastertide 



for getting his little plot in apple-pie 

 order. The soil turned up beauti- 

 fully. Found a pupa of the Heart 

 and Dart Moth in the ground. 

 The Sparrows have taken a few 

 of my Plum blossom buds. The 

 Iris leaves are like green swords. 

 White Lilies very hardy; not 

 touched by the severe Winter; 

 the green foliage very nice now. 

 COAL TITMOUSE. Rhubarb through. Currant flowers 



just discernible. Found two Black- 

 bird's nests, each containing two eggs. Both built in faggots in the 

 woods, and both placed on the East side. Following birds seen or 

 heard: Chaffinch, House Sparrow, Rook, Song Thrush, Blackbird, 

 Pheasant (two females, one of them being very greyish', Coal Tit, 

 Jay, Ring Dove, Redbreast, Common Wren, and Skylark. Beautiful 

 male Chaffinch in the garden. Good few Rabbits scampering about 

 in the woods. 



Flowers found blooming to-day : Dandelion, Groundsel, Red 

 Dead Nettle, Coltsfoot, Dog's Mercury, Primrose, Anemone (a few 

 only out in sheltered spots in the woods), Germander Speedwell, 

 Sallow, Lesser Celandine, Daisy, and Daffodil. 



The Rooks flying very low because of the wind; they swept 

 across the land with great rapidity to reach a certain spot. They 



