OCTOBER. 
I5i 
wind together have stripped the foliage away, the fruits ordinarily 
remain undisturbed, and here and there the curious teazel-heads, 
dried and dead, stand boldly out from the lower herbage. 
Though the fields yellow with charlock and scarlet with 
poppies are now but memories of the past sunny days, and even 
the graceful foxglove has expended itself to its last bell, a bota- 
nical ramble in October is not by any means a hopeless quest. 
To say nothing of the beautiful meadow saffron, or autumn cro- 
cus, that may occasionally be found — and which if found at 
all will generally be in profusion — there are many of the summer 
flowers that still linger on, flowers perhaps that when in their 
summer abundance we passed by almost unheeded, but which 
now are fully appreciated. In looking over past records we find 
amongst many other October gatherings the upright crowfoot, 
the creeping crowfoot, the ordinary red poppy and the wild mig- 
nonette, the rock rose, the white and red campions, the meadow 
crane’s bill, the dove’s foot and the herb Robert, furze, the purple 
clover, the burnet-saxifrage, the fools’ parsley, lady’s bedstraw, 
field scabious, bur-marigold, mallow, chamomile, pimpernel, eye- 
bright, forget-me-not, borage, hare-bell, fumitory, shepherd’s 
purse, wood violet, avens, stork’s bill, bush vetch, agrimony, 
daisy, meadowsweet, silverweed, tormentil, honeysuckle, mil- 
foil, nipplewort, dandelion, white and purple dead nettle, ground- 
sel, ragwort, black knapweed, sowthistle, clustered bell flower, 
centaury, bindweed, comfrey, mullein, and toad flax. To these 
many others could readily be added, and only a feeling of respect 
for the patience of our readers prevents our multiplying examples 
in this catalogue of names. We have even found a belated dog- 
rose flower now and then — we see note of a specimen gathered on 
October 23rd one year — while an occasional primrose at times 
anticipates the far-off spring, and may already be found in 
flcwer ; our earliest record, we see, is September 15th. Of 
course many of these flowers are found only very exceptionally, 
and even when found in most sheltered positions are often 
wanting in the sturdiness of growth and brilliancy of colour 
that we should expect to find at a more seasonable time. 
The swallows will mostly have gone south, but occasional 
specimens may be seen well into October, and while many of our 
birds will have left us their places will be taken by the winter 
migrants. We must remember that it is not emigration merely, 
but immigration as well — that “ we welcome the coming ” as well 
as “ speed the parting guest.” 
The bright sunshine also brings out several of our old summer 
favourites, who naturally regard hibernation as a thing that need 
not yet be troubled about while the days continue so pleasant, and 
the gardens and hedgerows so bright and attractive. The brilliant 
clouded-yellow butterfly, in its rich colouring of deep yellow 
and black, may often be seen in October, as may also the equally 
beautiful red admiral, the peacock, and the delicate sulphur 
yellow brimstone butterfly, as they flit along the hedgerows, 
