1 86 FIRST APPEARANCES OP BIRDS, INSECTS, ETC. 



their nest in a low fir tree, about 1 8 feet high, in the middle of a 

 "chicken nursery" in this neighbourhood. But, alas! They 

 paid for their enterprise by losing their eggs. The Goldfinch 

 is still almost common with us, breeding chiefly in the orchards. 

 But it sadly needs more strenuous protection, not only within 

 the breeding season, but all through the year. Few nests seem 

 to escape depredation. 



The only botanical notes are from Mr. Creed (Sherborne). 

 " First observed wheat ears, June 10 ; barley ears, June 24 ; oat 

 ears, June 8. Began cutting grass June 8." 



And from Mr. T. R. Atkinson. " I noticed in June a large 

 mass of Mimulus luteus in bloom by the roadside about three 

 miles out of Dorchester on the Maiden Newton Road. I have 

 never seen this plant growing wild in England before." 



This plant is included as a naturalized species in the President's 

 " Flora of Dorset." It only occurs as such in this country, 

 being a native of the Western part of North America. A locality 

 given by Mr. Mansel-Pleydell is Riverside, Bradford Peverell, 

 which cannot be any great distance from the spot which 

 Mr. Atkinson indicates. 



With regard to the notices of the dates of flowering of 

 cultivated plants e.g., corn, especially those which are yearly 

 grown fresh from seed, the records are not likely to be so 

 valuable as those of strictly wild flowers, on account of the 

 artificial conditions that affect the date. Probably the date of 

 sowing would make a considerable difference as well as the 

 variety of wheat sown, as one kind would flower later than 

 another. This latter is the case amongst strictly wild plants, 

 for one bush of hawthorn, for instance, will be sometimes 

 quite green whilst a neighbouring one is still in bud. It 

 has often been urged upon our observers that they should 

 choose out one particular bush and make their yearly obser- 

 vations upon it alone but if the earliest bush in their neigh- 

 bourhood is chosen, it will come to much the same thing if 

 they merely look out for the first flowers generally they are 

 usually to be found in the same spot year after year owing 



