27 
certain plants, the appearance of some insects, and so forth. The 
last column shows the moon’s age ; this w'as introduced on the 
possibility of the movements of migrants and stray birds being 
thereby influenced. We continued this practice to the last ; but 
I do not think any result followed therefrom, except a record of 
alternate moonshine and obscurity. The whole book is about 
eleven inches in height by about fourteen in breadth, or double 
the latter when open. 
This being the general principle or scheme of the “ Eegister,” 
the code or system of symbols used to fill it up requires explana- 
tion. That the system is perfect I have not an intention of 
asserting — indeed if 1 were to begin anew “Register” it is probable 
that I should introduce some modifications, but they would, I 
think, be but slight. Still it would give me pleasure to hear further 
improvements suggested, only it may perhaps be borne in mind 
that the code used has worn well for a space of more than ten 
years, and such might not bo the case with a new one, or with 
one much altered. It is obvious that the chief recommendation 
of such a code should be its capability of expressing various 
meanings, especially in combination, and its freedom from cora- 
I)lication — in other words its variability united with simplicity. 
Our idea at the outset wt\s to think nothing wonderful till w'e had 
found it to be so. The first symbol we therefore used signifies that 
the species under whose name it stands appeared (according to our 
previous knowledge) “ as usual,” this symbol is a plain cross, X . 
Starting from this, when the species appeared “ less abnndanthj 
than ii^ial,” one half of the cross is omitted, and the symbol is a 
simple sloping line, / ; but on the other hand when the species 
appeared “ more abundantly than risnal,” a horizontal line is added 
to the cross, ■)(■ ; and if a yet “ still greater abundance” was 
noticed, a vertical line was superadded until the symbol had the 
look of a star of eight points, . When the number of in- 
dividuals seen admitted of being counted, the Arabic numerals 
were inserted in the column, 2, 5, 13, and so on ; but for clear- 
ness’ sake — to prevent the possibility of confusion between the 
numeral 1 and the half-cross (/) already mentioned — the number 
“ one ” is represented by a dot, * . At times too, when it seems 
expedient, the well-kiiowm symbols and ?, originally astro- 
nomical and representing the planets jMars and Venus, are used to 
