210 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



such a one as those just alluded to, but on one more typical of the month. 

 The sky is cloudy, but there is an absence of rain, for which we are thankful, 

 although there seems every prospect of us having some before very long. As 

 we walk along we notice the leaves have all disappeared from off the lime 

 trees, and but very few are left on the others. Yonder lilac, too, has lost 

 all its verdure, and stretches upward its leafless twigs as if supplicating our 

 pity. A few flowers may still be observed in the suburban gardens as we 

 pass them. In the mild autumn of 1884, we had tropseolum, African mari- 

 golds, pelargoniums, camomile, periwinkle (Vinca major), dahlias, campanulas, 

 mignonette, heartsease, michaslmas daisy, snapdragon, chrysanthemums, and 

 pansies, all in flower in the early part of the month, and there was even a 

 stray rose or two. The following autumn I had in my garden pelargoniums, 

 snapdragons, roses, michselmas daisies, chrysanthemums, and pansies in 

 flower very much later than this. 



There in yonder field we see a flock of field-fares. They come over to 

 England about the middle of November, and remain with us all winter. 

 There is a skylark, and soon after noting it we see another and another. 

 They seem to be getting much more numerous now than they were in the 

 summer, and such is indeed the fact, that our resident larks being augmented 

 in number in winter time by migrants from more northerly countries. 

 Buttoning close our coats, for the breeze blows cold this afternoon, we cross 

 over a sandy common to a small wood. We see one or two stonechats 

 {Sylvia rulicola) as we walk along, but they are plainly very much diminished 

 in numbers, as many of them have now migrated to the south. We do not 

 see any whinchats [Sylvia rubelra), and the reason for this is similar : the 

 bulk of these pretty little birds have moved off to a warmer climate. A few 

 perhaps stay behind, but compared with Sylvia rubicola the number is very 

 small, many stonechats remaining with us throughout the year. 



The only lepidopteron we see is a small, dark coloured moth, which we 

 arouse from its resting place in a large furze bush. Upon capturing it we 

 see it is a specimen of Depressaria applana, which has not yet hybernated. 

 Lepidoptera, however, have not entirely disappeared in November. In the 

 early part of the month especially, some stragglers of the autumn moths may 

 be met with, notably on shop windows and gas lamps. I often think civilisa- 

 tion may have much influence in preserving certain species from destruction 

 during the rigour of winter. Certainly a town furnishes many places of 

 shelter to butterflies and moths, which would otherwise perish of cold. Every 

 one must have remarked how fond the Vanessidse are of wintering in houses, 

 and some moths, such as the herald moth (Gonoptera Matrix) have the same 

 propensity in a less degree. 



