THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



39 



striking varieties of lepidoptera, illustrating the different forms peculiar to the 

 district, as compared with the same species from England. — John Mackat, 

 Hon. Sec. 



NATURE IN FEBRUARY. 



By ALBERT H. WATERS, B.A., 



February is an uncertain month for the naturalist. Some days will be very 

 unfavourable for out-door work, and little can be done ; while now and then 

 we get perhaps a very mild day, and the student of nature rejoices. One day 

 the weather may be bleak and wintry, the temperature below zero, frost and 

 snow reigning supreme, and natural history work generally at a stand still, 

 with the exception perhaps of such kind as was indicated last month ; 

 another day will very likely be bright with sunshine, and genial as a spring 

 day. We shall hear the lark's joyous song and the notes of the goldfinch 

 and thrush, and observe the rooks busy about nest-building ; the blue tit- 

 mouse will make his appearance in our gardens, and as likely as not we shall 

 see a brimstone butterfly fluttering along in the sunshine, and gladdening the 

 heart of the entomologist with anticipating thoughts of the bright train of 

 painted-winged beauties which will come later on, and of which Gonepteryx 

 rhamni is the herald. 



On every side, if February be mild, we shall see signs of nature's awaken- 

 ing from winter's sleep, and of the approach of spring. The daffodils will be 

 coming up early in the month ; snowdrops and crocuses will be in flower ; 

 the elder will begin to put forth its leaves, and in gardens the gooseberry and 

 currant bushes will begin to do the same ; while the buds on the lilac trees 

 will turn green preparatory to their unfolding later on. Violets will be 

 blooming in the latter half of the month, and dandelion, dead nettle, ground- 

 sel, coltsfoot, and possibly, at the very end of the month, also the marsh 

 marigold will be observed on flower. 



Not much is done by the feathered tribes in the way of nest-building so 

 early in the year as this, but, nevertheless, a beginning is made. The raven 

 is one of the very earliest to begin, and the sparrows too will be seen hard at 

 work by the middle of the month, collecting materials foi their nests. The 

 rooks will be observed very busy about the trees, on which are their old 

 nests, and vociferously cawing ; later on they will be repairing the damages 

 their structures have sustained from the winter storms. Missel thrushes will 

 pair towards the end of the month, but will not commence building operations 

 for some time yet. 



