12 ‘ é Manchester Museum. 
Or, in summer, when the Oaks have settled to their heaviest 
green; and the Green Moths, emerging suddenly in the heat from 
their chrysalids within the folded leaves, hover for the marriage 
dance by thousands—a light and moving cloud—about the 
boughs; and families of birds patrol the wood in gay, glad 
- company—all but the Wood Warbler, that still has a yellow- 
breasted nestful waiting for supplies on the floor of the wood; 
and about the dry, hot grass the dusky brown butterflies flit; and 
the Chaffinch keeps as low, seeking for food where the white 
clover holds within the withering flower a delicious green seed- 
pod, with tiniest of peas therein. 
Or, in autumn, when St. Luke’s summer adds day to day of 
pure, still sunshine; and the Hollies already have brightened 
their berries to scarlet ; and the Oak trees bear yet their summer 
leaves, turned to palest yellow and brown, wanting but a faint 
ze to bring them down in a sudden shower; and the 
changeless dark-leaved Ivy, bushing out in the midst of the 
trees, will not wait for their fall, but opens its myriad blossoms 
to the sun; and the myriad insects that seek them from far, can 
be told by the full-toned hum heard underneath ; and the Robin, 
perched near on a bough, makes low, inward melody of utter 
content. 
Or, in winter, when the great trees are bare and naked, and 
the light is low ; and the Owl snoozes at noon in the ivied Oak, 
and the Buzzard cries loud from the mist; and Holly and 
Ivy together—though one flowered in May and the other in 
early November—offer their fruit to the birds; and the Holm- 
Thrush rattles the smooth, dark leaves as it picks; and the 
Ring Dove crosses to where a crowd of its fellows, with loud- 
fluttering wings, snatch red berries from the prickly-leaved bush; 
and the Gall Fly hops on the sodden ground; and the Field- 
mouse, living hard by in the wall—the daintiest feeder of all— 
leaves at its doorway its refuse of berries, the red husks that 
birds love, and the seed-cases as well, for out of them it clears, 
with the neatest of teeth, the kernel within 
When ? for always the woodland is full “of life, of wonder, 
and of beauty. 
Ret ee 
———— i i 
NOTES AND NEWS. 
have before us the Report of the Manchester Museum for the year 
1897-8, on are p ange to see ogee me vigem +. energy and success with 
Lipa 2 f argh a 
a . ts fice that by the use at =n iohtinge it is expected that the 
n 
may ope on weekday evenings, and thereby its usefulness 
Sopaiderans enhanced 
Naturalist 
