NATURAL PERIODIC PHENOMENA. 119 



from the general order and due proportion in the manifestations 

 of organic life. 



Leaving the minuter record of the characteristics of this 

 remarkable year to our meteorologists, I may broadly notice that 

 1868 had a notably mild and wet beginning. This continued, 

 with insignificant interruptions, until April, when a frost occurred 

 which did great damage to the young potatoes. The summer was 

 hot and arid, stunting the grass, and making scanty the after- 

 math, so that oxen and sheep were much pinched. Early in 

 October we had frosty nights, which brought in our winter immi- 

 grants, the Fieldfare and the Starling. Following this, we had an 

 almost frostless and snowless, but a remarkably wet and stormy, 

 ending of the year. 



I noticed this year a great scarcity of the Cuckoo {Cuculus 

 canorus) ; and from sportsmen I gathered that the Woodcock 

 (Scolopax rustkola) did not visit us in the usual number. About 

 the end of July a great abundance of the Cabbage Butterfly 

 (Pieris Brassicce) was observed over a large space in Cornwall. 

 They were in many places truly like a swarm of bees. On 

 close examination, I marked that there was an enormous pre- 

 ponderance of females, if entomologists are right in setting down 

 the bimaculated anterior wings as a distinction of sex. A very 

 hot summer may have favoured this abundance, just as a wet and 

 cold one might have diminished the ordinary numbers. 



Of our crops, I report from a collation of the remarks supplied 

 to me by several agricultural neighbours, iliat 



Hay was below the average, but of good quality and well-saved. 

 Wheat was in some places a very heavy crop, and generally above 



the average ; some localities suffered from rust and midge. 

 Barley was generally below the average, but well saved. 

 Oats were hardly an average, but in moist spots the yield was 



good. 

 Turnips. A very slight crop, from drought, flies, and Avorm. 

 Potatoes. A fair crop, and of good quality. The disease was less 



marked than in any year since the appea^rance of the pest. 



On reference to^my last year's report, it v/ill be seen that in 



1867 it was never worse. 

 Mangold was an average crop. 



F 



