202 
NATURE NOTES. 
as the gigantic Sequoia from California ; with every variety of 
shrub, or tree, or flower that any region of the earth can 
produce. Best of all is, however, to me, that herbaceous ground, 
which forms a little walled-in garden of itself, where we may see, 
and admire, the floral beauties of our own land, all exhibited in 
the best way to enable us to recognise and study them. This 
little garden may well convince us that our own country is truly 
a land of flowers. The loved flowers that adorn our meadows 
and hedgerows are here set forth in all their glory. The thistles 
and mulleins that we see on the Devonian headland ; the fragrant 
violet that nestles modestly in the neighbouring combes ; the 
daisy that is alike the child’s delight and “the poet’s darling; ’’ 
the very groundsel that we gather for our canaries ; all these and 
a thousand such familiar pets, here greet us, sometimes with 
surprise, among the whole array of their kindred, whether of 
lowly, or it may be, of highly distinguished relations. 
Mistakes are often made, no doubt, in Richmond, in regard 
to the cutting down of ancient oaks or cedars, or the clearing 
away of bird-loved thickets ; and it is not always easy anyhow 
to find out to whom these depredations are due ; but kindly 
nature, in so fertile a region, soon repairs the damage or 
supplies the loss ; thus the regrettable act of vandalism is, 
before long, swept entirely out of sight and out of mind. 
There are around Richmond many things that delight the 
lover of nature, poetic and historical associations, river-scenes, 
plant-life, and much else. With its increasing purity, the river 
goes on affording, more and more, the delights of tidal flow and 
ebb. In quiet times, when not a single angler is near, the fish 
may be seen leaping joyously out of the water, increasing, it 
would seem, in size, as the times of purification pass on. Two 
or three times, in foregoing days of foulness, I have seen, with 
much amazement, a huge porpoise swimming upward, with the 
tide, towards Teddington Lock, the highest point it could reach ; 
and when, by-and-by, with ebbing tide, it came down again, 
every boat in Richmond seemed to be out, with gun or rifle, to 
shoot at the huge fish, almost as much in vain, it would appear, 
as if the firing had been aimed at an iron-clad. In descending 
the polluted stream, the last of these piscine visitors became so 
weakened that it had, at length, to succumb to the poisoning 
effects of the stream wherein it swam. 
While all this is very pleasant, and well deserving of atten- 
tion, there is, perhaps,- nothing to surpass that in which the 
district is very rich, bird-life. This we may watch and study 
with delight everywhere around, at any hour of the day, and at 
all times of the year. In regard to our district, where, to the 
nature-lover, all seasons are delightful in their varied aspects, the 
chief question that arises is which season he likes the best. To 
one the warmth, and glow, and radiance of summer would seem 
the best, with June-roses and flowers fully displayed, and all the 
wealth of the “ crown of the year.” To another, dearest is the 
