Naturalises Calendar. 191 
But few plants come into flower this month, but several still remain, or from those preceding. 
The plants proper to the month are Crocus nudijiorus, Naked-Howtring autumnal Crocus, 
■which has been found in but few places in Enarland j viz. — Nottingham Meadows ; tlie Holmes, 
Derby; near Liverpool; and near Halifax. This beautiful flower, like She Colc/ticum, appears 
without leaves, which do not make their appearance till the following spring. Hedera helix. 
Ivy ; Scleranthus annuus, Annual Knavvel. 
The Mosses present an interesting assemblage to tlie Botanist; many of these are now going 
into flower, and the singular construction of their reproductive organs, and indeed of every part 
of the plant, will amply compensate him for tlie trouble of the minute investigation which 
they require. The species now in flower are, Tortula muralis, Wall Screw-moss ; Enculypta 
(.Ipina, Aljiine Extinguislier-moss; Grimmia maTitima Sea Griinmia ; Tortula convobita, Con- 
vohite Screw-Moss , T. sul/ulata. Bristle-shaped Screw-moss ; T. barbata, Bearded Screw-moss ; 
Hypnum triquelrutn, Three-cornered Feather-moss; and H. scorpioides, Scorjiion Feather-moss 
ZOOLOGY. 
Insects. — "In the month of October the Ivy blooms in profusion, and spreading over the 
warm side of some neglected wall, or the sunny bark of the broad asli on the bank, its flowers 
become a universal banquet to the insect race. The Great Black Fly, Musca ijTossa, and its 
numerous tribe, with multitudes of small winged creatures, resort to them ; and there we see 
those beautiful animals, the latest birth of the year, the Admiral, Vanessa alalaifii, and Pea- 
cock, /'. lo. Butterflies hanging with expand' d wings, like opeu flowers themselves, enjoying 
the sunny gleam and feeding on the sweet liquor that distils fnom the nectary of this plant. 
{Journal of a Naturalist,) The Humming-bird-Hawk.nioth, Mucroghssvm sletluturum may 
still be seen flitting round flowers, and sipping their honey, without aligliting. The 
Painted Lady Butterfly, Pontia cardui, may sometimes yet he found on the Fi;'ld Scabious. 
The Gamma Moth, Phnliena Gamma. — Hazel-nuts may frequently be found with the kernel 
partly eaten away by a small grub; this is occasioned by the larvae of the Curcvlio nucmn. 
Nut Weevil. The insect deposits its t^^, which is brown, and very small, on the outside of the 
nut, while in its soft and unripe state; as soon as the grub is hatched, it eats its v,ay through 
the tender .shell, into the nut, feeding upon that, and the white substance in the inside, till 
they become too hard or dry. It then commences eating the kernel, which has now become 
sufticiently large and ripe for the purjiose, taking care to keep the hole opeu by which it entered, 
both for a supply of fresh air, and likewise as a passage to escape by, when full grown. About 
the beginning of this month, or perhaps the latter end of September, the nut becomes perfectly 
ripe, and falls to the ground. The Weevil, which is at this time generally fully prepared for 
its change, works itself out at the hole by which it entered, and buries itself in the ground. 
Soon after, it changes into a chrysalis, in which state it remains till about the beginning of 
May, when it assumes its beetle form. 
The habits of the spider are bes;t observed now, and collections of the species made. 
Birds. — In this month, the immense and almost infinite multitudes of birds, which are bred in 
the Arctic Regions, leave their native haunts, in search of milder climates, and a supply of food 
during tlie severity of winter. In this, their instinct is directed by the countless shoals of fish 
which annually leave the same seas, and spreading themselves over the whole ocean of the 
warraer parts of the .globe, offer a supply of food botli to man, and to various marine animals, 
as well as sea-fowl. 
The Birds visit the coasts first, where they remain some time, till the increasing cold obliges 
them to seek food further inland. The numerous species of the Ducli. tribe, seek the fens, 
lakes, and rivers; at first in the most secluded spots, till the severity of the weatlier drives 
them nearer the haunts of man. Nearly the whole of the species of this genus which usually 
frequent Britain have now arrived, as the Common Wild Duck, ylnas hosc/ias ; Wildgoose, 
A.anseT; Scaup Duck, A moTila; Shoveller,>4. clypeatn; Pochard, y^./(?r/na; 8ic. The Green- 
shank, .S'co/opajc y/«</ii ; Common Snipe, &c. Gallinago, Sfc; the Purre, Tringj Cinclus ; and 
other species of Sandpipers; the Redwing, Turdus iliacus; and several other winter birds of 
passage may now be found, 
The Curlew, Aumeniiis Arijuata-, and Godwit, Scolopax <pgocephala; leave the marshes for 
the sea shore, as soon as the frosts set in. 
Larks are now congregated in flocks, and great numbers are taken in some parts of the king- 
dom. 
The Marten, Hirundo urhica ; and a few Swallows may still be seen till the middle of the 
month. 
Fishes. — Immense shoals of herrings, Clvpea harengus of many miles in length and breadth 
now appear on the coasts of Britain and the opposite Continent, and the Herring fishery com- 
mences. 
Salmon, Salmo solar, now asend the rivers as far as possible, for the purpose of spawning. 
They have been found in the Derbyshire Derwent, as high as Bel|)er, which is, according to 
the course of the rivers, 120 miles trom the sea. In their journey, no obstacle can interrupt 
their progress, they mount the weirs, falls, or whatever obstructs their passage, frequently 
leaping out of the water to a considerable height. 
RePTILKS, — Snakes become torpid. 
METEOROLOGY. 
The moisture of the atmosphere is now greatly increased and evaporation diminished. The 
mists which now form on the low-lands on a fine evening, appearing like broad sheets of water, 
covering every object but the tops of the trees, and which are gradually drawn up the hills 
in the morning, are among the most beautiful and interesting sights of the whole year. 
Barometer.— Mean Height 29,7^4. Highest 30,610. Lowest 28,740 inches. 
THEEMOMETE't. — Mean Temperature 48,9 degrees. Highest 68. Lowest 27 degrees. 
Rain. — Mean quantity 2,073 inches. 
Evaporation.— Mean 1,488. O.J. 
