AUGUST. 225 



could hot help noticing the fascination of being in the woods during 

 the gloaming hour That is, from about 7.30 to 8.30 now. I cannot 

 impress upon my readers too forcibly the desirability of keeping a 

 note-book and jotting down anything they may come across on the 

 spot, as it were. The poet Gray says: "Half a word fixed upon or 

 near the spot is worth a cart-load of recollection," and so it is. 



20th. Much cooler; about 80 degrees in the sun. Robin singing, 

 but Skylark still quite silent. Bats flying round at 7.30 p.m. Dug 

 some fine Potatoes, though there is a report that disease may be very 

 prevalent, and that the Colorado Beetle is present in large numbers, 

 and may do much harm. My small crop is quite healthy. The 

 beauty of Eschscholtzia is not so well known, I think, as it might be. 

 It makes a fine show in the garden, and has a very lengthy flowering 

 period, throwing flower after flower very quickly when once it has 

 started. Some are dark golden all over, others have dark golden 

 centres with delicate light yellow running off to the edges; both are 

 very beautiful. The foliage, too, is delicate and pretty. 



21st Heavy dew early, but sun broke through about breakfast-time; 

 bright rest of day. The harvest is nearly over. During the last few 

 days much Corn has been carted. Never, in some counties, has so 

 much been cut, shocked, and carted within such a few days. In this 

 district, however, most of it was cut and shocked before the recent 

 spell of unsettled weather, and was waiting for sunshine. Now that 

 has come, and the harvest home is once more passed and the sheaves 

 .garnered in. 



The number of Earwigs is well worth noticing. Robin singing. 

 Bat out, and uttering its feeble squeaking note at 7 p.m. 



During a thunderstorm which broke over Hertfordshire just 

 recently the trunk of a tree at Grove Mill, near Hitchin, was struck 

 and destroyed by lightning, which revealed the existence of a colony 

 of Bees. From the condition and quantity of comb and honey they 

 had evidently been there some years. A Bee-keeper was engaged to 

 obtain the honey, a task which was carried out under great difficulties. 

 The colony was a very strong one, for when a large quantity of honey 

 was removed many thousands of Bees could be seen at the base of the 

 hollow. 



22nd. Heavy rains last night; very showery most of day. Young 

 House Sparrows flying about the garden; picked off with the hands, 

 not with a gun one from the Beansticks. How warm-blooded, to be 



