HARBINGERS u 



It was pleasant to see, too, by way of a single instance, 

 that, like many migrants to and from a greater dis- 

 tance, he returned a few days earlier than his mate. 

 We can also truly notch our calendar of spring by 

 the slow climb of the meadow pipit towards the moor, 

 where it is seen towards May. The pipit flocks of 

 the plain have already been diminished by the return 

 of those that in summer inhabit the foot-hills ; they 

 still retain those that belong to the high mountain. 



The cottager's bees are out this sunny morning, as 

 they have been on favourable occasions for a week or 

 two past. They have found, however little, seemingly 

 nothing to do beyond buzzing round as though 

 wondering why they had been called. But the first 

 yellow crocus is open this morning, and a bee has been 

 seen to dust herself in its pollen. We may imagine 

 that the first precious point of honey has been taken 

 back to the hive, and communally regarded much in 

 the light of a nugget found in a hitherto unexplored 

 range of country. One crocus-cup is not enough to 

 justify the activity of forty thousand bees. They 

 must fly more than a mile, however, for the next 

 blossom the fragrant butter-burr, whose big leaves, 

 aptly called by the French pas (Cane, covered half an 

 acre of wood-bottom last summer. The lesser celan- 

 dine, which is beginning to star the banks of the lane, 

 does not appeal to the hive bee, nor has she learnt to 

 collect pollen from the hazel catkins. But very soon 

 the " palm " blossoms of the willow will be the centres 

 of bee commerce, and gooseberry blossoms usher in 

 an unbroken supply of honey-bearing flowers. 



The boisterous gales have swept away the last 

 vestige of loose hamper from the wood, as from lonely 



