Brings her infants forth with many smiles; 

 But once delivered, kills them with a frown. 

 He, therefore, timely warned, himself supplies 

 Her want of care, screening and keeping warm 

 The plenteous bloom, that no rough blast may 



sweep 

 His garlands from the boughs. Again, as oft 

 As the sun peeps, and vernal airs breathe mild, 

 The fence withdrawn, he gives them every beam, 

 And spreads his hopes before the blaze of day. 



The brilliantly verdant leaflets of the larch 

 (pinus larix), are now expanded, as also are 

 the crimson bourgeons of the peony, which 

 have for some time protruded through the 

 surface of the earth. The primrose {pri- 

 mula veris), is now appearing beneath every 

 hedge — 



Low tenant of the peaceful glade, 

 Emblem of virtue in the shade, 

 Bearing its head to brave the storm 

 That would its innocence deform. 



The new year's leaves, in coronal shape 

 of the martagon and white lily {lilium can- 

 didum), are rapidly advancing. 



The melody of birds now gradually swells 

 upon the ear. The throstle {turdus musicus), 

 second only to the nightingale in song, 

 charms us with the sweetness and variety of 

 his lays. The linnet and the goldfinch join 

 the general concert in this month, and the 

 golden-crowned wren (motacilla regidus), be- 

 gins its song. The sky lark also must not 

 be forgotten ; — 



Light from the sod the lark exulting springs, 

 Joy tunes his voice and animates his wings ; 

 Bard of the blushing dawn, to him are given 

 Earth's choicest verdure and the midway heaven: 

 Hark ! the glad strains that charm our wond'ring 



ears, 

 As upward still the fearless minstrel steers; 

 Till wide careering through the solar stream, 

 A speck, he wanders in the morning beam. 



In this month, black ants {formica nigra), 

 are observed ; the blackbird and the turkey 

 (meleagris gallopavo) lay; and house pigeons 

 sit. The greenfinch (loxia chloris), sings ; 

 the bat, (vespertilio), is seen flitting about ; 

 and the viper uncoils itself from its winter 

 sleep. The wheat ear, or English ortolan 

 {sylvia amanthe), again pays its annual visit, 

 leaving England in September. 



Those birds which have passed the winter 

 in England, now take their departure for 

 more northerly regions ; as the fieldfare 

 {turdus pilaris), the redwing {turdus iliacus), 

 and the woodcock {scolopax rusticola.) 



On this very clay, the vernal equinox 

 takes place ; all nature feels her renovating 

 sway, and seems to rejoice at the retreat of 

 winter. 



The general or great flow of sap, in most 

 trees takes place in this month ; this is pre- 

 paratory to the expanding of the leaves, and 

 ceases when they are out. The ash now 



puts forth its grey buds, and the hazel and 

 the willow exhibit some signs of returning 

 life in their silky unfolded catkins. The 

 columbine {aquilegia vulgaris), now shows its 

 tufted heads along the borders ; and the first 

 of the daffodils {pseudo narcissus), are trust- 

 ing their " flowering gold to treacherous 

 skies." The leaflets of the black currant, 

 and of the quince (pyrus cydonia), are 

 rapidly expanding. If the weather be mild, 

 the blossoms of the almond, the apricot, and 

 other wall-fruit of the amygdalus tribe, are 

 unfolding. " How the heart trembles, while 

 the pen relates ;" for fear, in spite of hope, 

 paints them scattered beneath the wall by 

 the blasts of Eurus and Auster, — 



And the dreadful force 

 Of Boreas, that congeals the Cronian waves. 



Those trees, which as yet are too young 

 to bear fruit, are also advancing in leaf. 

 " The violet, darkly blue," is now generally 

 in flower, peeping among its heart-shaped 

 leaves, and, often in this month, justifying 

 the comparison of the poet, of 



Young Mirzala's blue eyes, 

 Whose sleepy lid like snow on violets lies. 



The red currant (ribes rubrum), is now 

 rapidly assuming " its mantle o'green." The 

 buds of the red lilac (syringa vulgaris), lead 

 " the dance of life," and are the first to exhibit 

 within their bosoms the tender embryo of 

 their summer hopes. The leaves of the 

 thornless rose, and of the hawthorn (Cra- 

 taegus oxyacantha), are gradually becoming 

 determinate. The rich, yet soft-tinted auri- 

 culas, " enriched with shining meal o'er all 

 their velvet leaves," are gradually display- 

 ing their flowers, and our beloved daisy, the 

 favorite of Chaucer and of Wordsworth, is 

 now seen scattered over dry pastures. 



'Tis now that trouts begin to rise, and 

 blood worms appear in the water. The clay 

 hair-worm {gordius argillaceus), is found at 

 the bottom of drains and ditches, and the 

 water-flea (gyrinus natator), may be seen 

 gliding about upon the surface of sheltered 

 pools. It is seldom, however, that the 

 water-flea awakens from winter's rest in the 

 mud, at the bottom, until April. This is a 

 very interesting little creature, and every 

 school-boy that has angled for a minnow, is 

 acquainted with this merry swimmer in his 

 shining black coat. They associate in small 

 parties, of ten or a dozen, near the banks of 

 pools, or on the quiet waters of brooks and 

 rivers, where they circle around each other 

 without any apparent contention, or object, 

 from morning until night, with great spright- 

 liness and activity; and in their motions im- 

 print faint circles upon the surface on which 

 they glide. They are seldom seen alone, and 

 generally in action. One pool may afford space 

 for the amusement of several of these com- 



