NATUEAL PEEIODIC PHENOMENA. 75 



to say, in this Registration District (excluding the three public 

 establishments) not a single death occurred during the month. On 

 the 7th of October, after a drought of six weeks and three days, 

 came timely showers. The green crops were nearly ruined by 

 drought and mildew. October was, generally, a fine, moist, growing 

 month; the latter part very rainy. The winter-migratory birds 

 came very early. November was rainy ; and, at the end, was 

 marked by hurricanes of unusual violence and destructiveness. With 

 exception of a few slight frosts and hail showers, December was 

 mild, moist, and genial. It is not without value to mark the com- 

 parative abundance or rarity of certain species of animals and plants. 

 The Clouded Yellow Butterfly {Colias edusa), and the Death's- 

 head Moth [Acherontia Atropos), were very abundant; the Common 

 Wasp remarkably scarce. The apple-crop was a deficient one. The 

 fruit of the Holly very scarce. Woodcock and Snipe unusually few. 



N.B. — The Names printed in Italics indicate plants and animals 

 marked for special observation. 



fl. means flowers. 



fol. foliates. 



defol. defoliates. 



The time of flowering is to be noted when the flower is sufficiently 

 expanded to show the anthers ; of foliation, when the leaf-bud is so 

 far open as to show the upper surface of the leaves ; of fructification, 

 at the period of dehiscence or the pericarp, in dehiscent fruits ; and, 

 in others, when they have evidently arrived at maturity ; of defolia- 

 tion, when the greater part of the leaves of the year have fallen off. 



January 3. Daphne mezereum, fl. 



6. Potentilla fragariastrum, fl. 



— Thrush (Turdus musicusj heard. 

 13. Galanthus nivalis, fl. 



15. The Little Bat fVespertilio pipistrellus) alroad. 



19. Blachhird (Turdus merula) sings. 



— Man. Mumps (Cynanche parotidoea) occurs. 



— Corylus avellana, fl. 



26. Hedge Sparrow (Accentor modularis) sings. 



