335 
IV.— NATURALIST S CALENDAR, 
FOR JAN(JARY. 
BOTANY. 
THODGH the most severe weather of the year commonly occurs in this month, yet vegetation 
begins a little to revive ; iiml shoiiUl the latter end of the mouth be mild, the Snowdrop, Gti- 
Idnthus nivalis, may be seen emerging from the fjround ; and in the garden the Winter AcOnite, 
Erc'inthis /iyemti/is, begins to show its golden blossoms.' The Christmas Rose, Helleborus niger, 
and the Laurustinus, VibitTiium tiniis, are also in flower. The Mezereon, Daphne Mezftevm, 
begins to open its buds. The Sweet Violet, Viola adorata, is now in bud, or in sheltered situ- 
ations, in tlower. Several plants that have out-lived the early part of winter are still in flower, 
as Red and White Archangel, Li'iniiiim piirpHretimaTii album ; Chickweed, Stellar iam^dia; 
Groundsel, Sfii'cio vulgari, Annual Meadow-grass, Pua annua; Furze,' Ulex EvroptB^us; and 
Ivy-Xeay'iX'Yoa.Aiia.ii^ Antirrhinum Cymbak'iria ; these plants may truly be said to flower the 
whole year. 
Tlie Mosses now in fructification, are Rigid Screw-moss, Turtula rig'ida; Early Moss, Bry^um 
pellucidum ; Hygrometer Moss, Funaria hygroniHrica; and Stemless Moss, Phdscum mi't. 
ticum. 
The leaf buds of the Honeysuckle, Lonicera Periclym^nvm, begin to expand, and the catkins 
of the Hazel, Coryiut Avellana, to appear. 
ZOOLOGY. 
INSECTS.— A few Moths may occasionally be found, as the Bay-shoulder Button-Moth, PerC 
nia spadiceana; the Early Moth, CheimatCbia rupicapriiria; these, with some species of Gnats, 
are almost the only winged insects which venture forth. A remarkable circumstance respecting 
insects, is the existence of the autumnal brood of Caterpillars, upon a very scanty supply of 
food, and sometimes without any. In gardens, for example, the speckled and spotted (white, 
yellow, and black) Caterpillar of the Magpie or Currant Moth, Abraxas grossulariata, may 
be found on Gooseberry and Currant bushes, of which the more expanded buds only can aftord 
them food; and yet they usually survive the hardest winters, thougk not advanced beyond the 
first or second skin, and not so thick as a Crow-quill. The eggs, also, of many insects are de. 
posited in the auturan^ and notwithstanding the severe cold of winter, survive, and are hatched 
m spring. An example of this is the Lacquey Moth, Clisiocdmpa Neustria, which are laid in 
a spiral form round the twig of a tree, and fastened by means of a strong cement, t 
Many singular and minute insects may be found among Mosses and Lichens. 
Bl RDS. — The observations on the winter migratory birds, last month, apply equally as well to 
this; but as the weather is now more severe, there is a greater probability of the rarer water- 
birds and sea-fowl being driven inland. 
The Missel Thrush, Tiirdus viscivorus, begins its monotonous song, and commences build- 
ing its nest. This is the earliest songster we have. The Redbreast, Sylvia rubfcukt, and the 
House Sparrow, fVinj/Wd rfoni«//ca, frequently build this month. The greater Titmouse, or 
Black.cap, Pdrus mrj'or, and the Hedge Sparrow, Sylvia modularis, sing. Larks, Alauda 
arvhisis, are now seen in large flocks. The Long-tailed Titmouse, Pdrus caudotus, is seen 
in small flights visiting the trees in gardens and orchards; they proceed m one regular direc- 
tion, flittmg from tree to tree, and in this manner pass over a large tract of country m a day. 
" Some gardeners, who know r.o better, accuse many birds of destroying the buds of their 
trees at this season, because they are seen continually nibbling about them. The truth is, how. 
ever, that it is not the bud.s, but the insects frequenting them, of which the birds are in search. 
In the same way some birds search under the decayed bark of tiees, amongst the straws of a 
thatched barn, or the moss on trees, for their favourite food." % 
The Golden-crested Wren, Sylvia Regulus, the smallest of European birds, may now be 
frequently observed in thick hedges near houses. It summer it is seldom seen, as it then re- 
tires to more unfrequented places, and rarely approaches human habitations, except in severe 
weather. It is wonderful how so small and delicately formed a bird can endure' the rigours of 
winter; yet it seems to brave the cold quite as well as those apparently more hardy: perhaps 
the constant exercise which it uses in seeking for its food, may account for it. 
METEOROLOGY. 
Barometer.— Mean Height 29,881. Highest 30,540. Lowest 20,200 inches. 
Thermometer. — Mean Temperature 49,9 degrees. Highest 74. Lowest 29 degrees. 
Rain. — Mean quantity 1,78C inches. 
Evaporation.— Mean 2,290 inches. 
* In January, 18-28, the following plants were in flower here in the open grousirl: Double and Single Snow 
drop; Scotch, Yellow and Black-streaked Yellow Crocuses ; Double Lilac, Single^ed and Common Prim- 
roses ; Polyanthuses; Arabis alpina; Blue Navelwort, {Omphalodes v<THa;) Winter Aconite; Double 
Red Hepatica ; Lauresfinus ; Mezereon ; Daisies ; Crowfoot; and Archangel. 
+ Comp- Aim. % Comp. Aim. 
Dufield.Bank, Dee. 1*31. O.J. 
