234 



NATURAL APPEARANCES 



they are of so tender a nature, that the least mixture of 

 snow-water in the river drives them back to the sea. 



One of the most agreeable tokens of our approach 

 of spring is, thaj: about the middle of the month of 

 March bees venture out of their hives. These ad- 

 mirable and useful insects appear to be possessed of 

 uncommon foresight of the weather; so that their 

 appearance in the morning may be reckoned a sure 

 token of a fair day. As their food is the sweet juice 

 to be found in the nectaries of flowers, their coming 

 abroad is a certain sign that flowers are now to be 

 met with. The gardens are adorned with the yel- 

 low and purple crocus; and, towards the end of the 

 month, primroses peep out from beneath the hedges, 

 while the most fragrant of all flowers, the violet, dis- 

 covers itself by the perfume it imparts to the sur- 

 rounding air. The peach, the nectarine, the almond, 

 apricot and cherry trees, come into full bud during 

 this month; the sallow enlivens the hedges with its 

 catkins full of dust ; and the leaves of the honey- 

 suckle are nearly expanded. 



In the latter part of the month of March the equi- 

 nox happens, when day and night are of an equal 

 length all over the globe ; or rather, when the sun is 

 an equal time above and below the horizon ; for the 

 morning and evening twilight makes apparent day 

 considerablv longer than night. This takes place 

 again in Septe- ber The former is called the ver- 

 nal, the latter the autumnal equinox. 



