OCTOBER. 271 



mountains devastated by unceasing floods and raging torrents, so as, 

 apparently, to render all life on the earth impossible. Generally, 

 half the beauty of the world would vanish with the absence of dust. 

 Is not this a perfect revelation? 



14th. Unsettled weather ; very blustering winds ; showery ; extremely 

 cold in spite of bright sunshine. 



We rambled to-day on the borders of Hertfordshire and Bedford- 

 shire, over one range of the breezy Chiltern Hills, and most of the 

 notes which are included under to-day's date occurred on the borders 

 of the two counties. 



Flowers tound in bloom: Yarrow, Long-rooted Cat's Ear, 

 Nipplewort, Shepherd's Purse (now we found some seed-pods of this 

 plant to-day which seemed to us almost phenomenal in size; they 

 were quite as large as a brace button; the largest we ever saw), 

 Scentless Mayweed, Tansy, Sow Thistle, White Dead Nettle, Ground- 

 sel, Knot Grass, Hedge Mustard, Hop Trefoil, Ragwort, Scarlet Poppy, 

 Shepherd's Needle (it is months since we found this in flower, and it 

 was, indeed, a pleasurable surprise to come across a good deal to-day 

 in flower and needled), Dandelion, Small Knapweed, Charlock (whole 

 golden fields of this are now to be seen), Rest Harrow, Cinquefoil, 

 Bramble, Wild Carrot (near at home this plant is rapidly going off 

 flower; where we rambled to-day it is at its height), Germander 

 Speedwell, Self Heal, Field Thistle, Marjoram (the first time this 

 flower has been included in our lists), White Campion, Prickly-headed 

 Poppy, Cow Parsnip, Red Clover, Field Scabious, Sainfoin, Toadflax, 

 Creeping Crowfoot, Ox Tongue, Wild Mignonette, and last, but not 

 least, Succory. The latter is a very delicate pale blue flower, some- 

 thing after the style of the Mallow. It is also called Chicory, and it 

 is from the roots of the same, when dried and ground, that the Chicory 

 of commerce is obtained. It is also interesting to note that the plant 

 is used abroad for fodder for Cattle and Sheep. It is also the first 

 time this plant has been included in our lists. 



Birds singing: Owing to the blustering winds it was impossible 

 to hear hardly any birds, and the only one heard singing was the 

 Skylark. He, blithe bird, was up aloft with his head to the breeze 

 singing gaily that captivating song. 



Birds heard or seen: Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Partridge 

 Blackbird, Kestrel (saw one of these beautiful Hawks strung up on the 

 keeper's cursed gibbet. The bird had been caught a day or two 

 previously in one of those barbarous pole-traps. I tried to convince 



