KIDD'S LONDON JOURNAL. 



179 



panies, yet they do not commonly unite, but 

 perform their cheerful circlings in separate 

 family associations. If we interfere with 

 their merriment, they instantly disperse, or 

 dive to the bottom ; but shortly all fear is 

 over, and our little party is seen circling 

 again. This little gliding flea becomes 

 familiar to us in our boyhood, and often re- 

 calls, in after years, some of our earliest and 

 most pleasant associations. 



The equinoctial gales are usually most 

 felt, both by sea and land, about this time; 



How fiercely drives the rattling hail ! 

 How loudly blows the blustering wind! 

 Now deep and distant sounds the gale, 

 And with its murmurs soothes the mind : 

 Anon, a whistling sound prevails — 

 By fits, irregular, it roars — 

 With boisterous force the house assails, 

 While with harsh, dreary noise, resound the jar- 

 ring doors. 



The barren strawberry {fragaria sterilis), 

 and the yew tree {taxus baccata), are now in 

 flower, and the elder tree (sambucus nigra), 

 begins to put forth its flower buds. The 

 hounds-tongue (cynoglossum), is now seen 

 with its modest flowers of pink or light blue. 

 It is a common and vulgar error to suppose 

 that the roots of the cynoglossum will drive 

 away mice and rats. 



The smelt {salmo eparlanus), begins to 

 ascend rivers to spawn, when they are taken 

 in great abundance. The gar-jish } gar-pike, 

 or horn-fish (esox belone), appears in this 

 month. It is much esteemed in Devonshire 

 and Dorsetshire, though not upon the Essex 

 coast and in London. The gannets, or Solan 

 geese (pelicanus bassanus), resort in March 

 to the Hebrides, and other rocky islands of 

 North Britain, to make their nests and lay 

 their eggs. 



At the end of March, a brimstone-colored 

 butterfly (papilio rhamni), appears. Bees 

 may now be seen in the garden culling their 

 various sweets. Black beetles, too, may 

 now be observed flying about in the evening; 

 and bats issue from their places of conceal- 

 ment. Roach and dace float near the surface 

 of the water, and sport about in pursuit of 

 insects. Peas appear above ground ; the 

 sea-kale (crambe marilima), now begins to 

 sprout. The male blossoms of the yew 

 tree expand and discharge their farina. 

 Sparrows are busily employed in forming 

 their nests. Young lambs are yeaned this 

 month ; and young otters are produced. 



This is the month for inserting most of the 

 main crops on which depend our winter's 

 supply ; many too for successional produc- 

 tion during the summer ; as well as several 

 inhabitants of the herbary, where required. 

 It is hazardous any longer to continue plant- 

 ing and pruning trees ; their sap, " de- 

 truded to the roots by wintry winds," has 



recommenced its circulation. No planter 

 should be unmindful of the homely adage, 

 " plant in autumn, and command them to 

 grow; plant them in spring, and implore 

 them to grow." The work of preparation in 

 the flower garden should also this month be 

 completed. 



BIKDS OF SONG. 



Give me but 

 Something whereunto I may bind my heart, 

 Something to love, to rest upon, —to clasp 

 Affection's tendrils round. -Mas. Hemans, 



No. II. — An Address to all who Keep Birds. 



We consider it essentially necessary, 

 before entering in detail on our proposed 

 " Treatise of British Song Birds," to offer 

 a few preliminary observations closely con- 

 nected with the subject. 



It is worthy of note, that there is scarcely 

 a family, high or low, rich or poor, whether 

 residing in town or country, in which some 

 one species of our feathered songsters is not 

 to be found domiciled, From boyhood, nay 

 almost from infancy, upwards, there exists 

 in most of us an innate propensity to keep a 

 bird. There is companionship in the very 

 thought — a feeling of comfort, essentially 

 English. How very many of us there are 

 who can vouch for this fact ! 



It becomes, however, a matter for serious 

 consideration how these little prisoners are 

 treated, when placed in confinement, and 

 committed to our tender care and keeping 

 without the possibility of assisting them- 

 selves. With some indeed it is a question 

 whether it be strictly lawful to keep birds 

 at all, in confinement. The question certainly 

 does admit of disputation ; but allowing it to 

 be lawful, there is at least entailed on us a 

 serious and indispensable duty to make them 

 forget, so far as kindness can do so, their 

 privation of liberty. This we have ever 

 studied to do ; and in most instances, we 

 would fain believe, successfully. We regret, 

 however, to say that our observation has 

 led to the discovery of many acts of barbar- 

 ous cruelty practised on these innocent 

 creatures ; arising, let us hope, not so much 

 from an unfeeling heart as from a culpable 

 want of due consideration of their necessities. 



Many people are apt to imagine, while 

 viewing the occasional activity and spright- 

 liness of their little caged favorites, and while 

 listening to the melody of their tiny voices, 

 that they are necessarily in the enjoyment of 

 perfect health and happiness. They take 

 this for granted. Some birds, however, 

 though they sing, are still very far from being 

 happy. In all, there is a plaintive note as 

 well as a joyous note. Our ear could detect 

 either, in an instant. Other birds convey 

 the state of their feelings by a remarkably 



