VI 
CONTENTS. 
cation— Druids of Gaul — Ancient and modern virtues— Dyers’ weed- 
value — uses— cultivation — yellow color — most permanent and common 
— Brimstone butterfly— Day’s eye— Dandelion— Singular appearance of a 
grass — Brambles — insect path on the leaves — uses of the bramble — Maple 
tree— an early autumn beau — fashion followed by others— maple wood a 
beautiful microscopic object— medicinal properties— leaves punctured by 
insects — Traveller’s joy — grows in limestone soils by preference — uses— 
pores of the wood in the microscope— Vessels of plants— uninjured by dry 
seasons— Seeds of the Clematis Page 58—83 
Naturalist’s autumnal walk — beautiful, and fdjl of variety — Agaric- 
beauty and variety — plentiful in Monmouthshire — Agaricus fimi putris — 
Verdigris agaric— Fungi very uncertain in their growth — Flower-formed 
hydnum— Mitred helvella — Gray puff* ball — Fingered clavaria — Agarics, 
to be understood, observed in all stages of growth— Perishable nature of 
created things — Parasitic fungi— laurel— holly — two-fronted sphseria— elm 
leaves— sycamore leaves— bark of plants— the nut— beech— Odorous agaric 
— Fragment agaric— ‘ Stainer ’ agaric— Stinking phallus— Mode of propa- 
gation—' Turreted puff— Starry puff— Morell— Bell-shaped nidularia— Food 
for mice 83—05 
Marten cat— his capture— well adapted for a predatory life— its skin— Hedge- 
hog— mode of life— always destroyed — prejudices against— cruelty of man 
— an article of food — sensibility of the spines — Harvest mouse — where 
found— character— Increase and decrease of animals— Migration of rats 
— Water shrew — its residence and habits— common shrew mouse — Pale 
blue shrew — Mole— his actions — character — abundance of— easily discovers 
his food— structure of his body— fur and hair of animals— flesh of the 
moles— killed by weasels 95—108 
Birds — admiration of— The hedge sparrow — contingencies of its life— song 
— example of a domestic character — Willow-wren— early appearance — 
and departure— nest— object of her migration— Difficulty of rearing young 
birds — Golden -crested wren — Linnet — their song — habits — Bullfinch — 
character— injurious to trees— preference of food— no destroyer of insects 
— Robin— character— always found — Song of birds — motives obscure — 
Chaffinch — beautifully feathered— female, her habits— country epithets— 
conduct in spring— mojsiten their eggs in hot weather— Parish rewards for 
vermin — Blue tonj- tit— perishes in winter — mode of obtaining food — 
stratagems — Birds distinguished by voice — Cole mouse — variety-of notes 
—Long-tailed tom-tit— nests— journeys— eggs— labor to feed their young 
—winter faod— great variety of nests— Goldfinch— beautiful nests— Suffer- 
ings of the swallow — Maternal care of a little blue tom-tit — industry 
—Raven — scared from its nest — faculty of discovering its food — univer- 
sally found — duration of life — reverence— superstitions wearing out — 
duration of animal life— aided or injured by man — an old horse— life of 
man — Crossbill — breeds in England— Rook — suffers in cold and dry seasons 
— his life in the year 1825 — various habits of— detects grubs in the earth — 
his habits in the spring — associations— senses — Magpie — nests — habits— 
plunderers of the farm -yard— natural affection— Jay— conduct of the old 
birds— winter habits— feathers— shrike— nest— young— kills other birds— 
a sentinel — its mischievous disposition— Stormy petrel— habits— Wry- 
neck— its habits — Birds annually diminishing — Swan-pool, Lincoln — 
