naturalists’ calendar. 
331 
on rocks, and upon the rubbish thrown out of coal-pits, the Dyers-weed, or 
Reseda Luteola grows in large quantities. (3). This plant is much used by dyers, 
in France. It affords a most beautiful yellow dye for cotton, woollen, mohair, 
silk, and linen. Blue cloths are dipped into it to be made green. The yellow 
colour of Dutch Pink is obtained from this plant. The entire plant, when about 
flowering, is pulled up and employed both fresh and dried. The plant grows 
about two feet high, and bears small yellowish flowers on long narrow spikes. In 
dry gravelly and chalky pastures, the blue Fleabane, Erigeron acre (4) may be 
usually found ; it grows about 18 inches high, and may be known by its bluish 
red stem. Under hedges, on walls, and in waste places the Geranium lucidum 
(5) is common. The whole plant is shining, the flowers are small and rose- 
coloured, sometimes pale or nearly white, though this seldom happens. 
49 
Molluscous Animals. —In marshy ground and slow running or stagnant 
ditches, the Limneus fossarius (7) may often be found. It is of a pale brown or 
greyish colour, and about half an inch long; there are three varieties, all very 
pretty shells. In most ponds and slow streams, may be perceived a little trans¬ 
parent non-coloured shell, very glossy, and about half an inch long; it is the 
Physa Hypnorum (8.) The animal feeds upon the water plants, at least it ap¬ 
pears to do so from the numerous perforations in the leaves of those growing near 
where it lies. The Physa alba (6) is quite unknown to us; it is said to be about 
half an inch long, and quite white in colour. Turton in his “ Manual of British 
Shells,” states that itis found in the river Towyne, in North Wales. On the under 
side of the leaves of aquatic plants growing in rivers and streams, when the wa¬ 
ter is not very rapid, may be found the Physa fontinalis (9). The shell is horn 
coloured, about half an inch long, and half as much broad. In ditches, where 
the water has long stagnated, the Limneus glutinosus (10) abounds; it is of a yel¬ 
lowish horn colour, and usually lies in the mud at the bottom. The Paludina 
impura, (11) an oval oblong yellowish horn-coloured shell, may be found in canals 
and in many ditches; it is about half an inch long, and three tenths wide ; when 
found in ditches it is often covered with a blackish coat, which being cleaned off 
leaves the shell partially transparent. 
Insects. —The Trochi'Iium tipulif'onne, is very injurious to the common cur- 
