Naturalises Calendar. 
191 
But few plants come into flower this month, but several still remain, or from those precedinj?. 
The plants proper to the month are Crocus nudijlorus, Naked-flowering autumnal Crocus, 
which ha? been found in but few places in England j viz.—J^ottingham Meadows,-the Holmes, 
Derby; near Liverpool; and near Halifax. This beautiful flower, like the Colchicum, appears 
without leaves, which do not make their appearance till the following spring. Hedera helix, 
Ivy ; Scleranihus annuus, Annual Knawel. 
The Mosses present an interesting assemblage to the 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 the trouble of the minute investigation which 
they require. I'he species now in flower are, Tortula muralis, Wall Screw-moss; Encalypta 
clpina, Alpine Extinguisher-moss; G'riTnmj'a TaanVima Sea Grimmia ; Tortula convolula, Con¬ 
volute Screw-Moss, T. subulata. Bristle-shaped Screw-moss; T. barbata, Bearded Screw-moss ; 
Hypnum triquetrum, Three-cornered Feather-moss,■ and H. scorpioidet, Scorpion Feather-moss 
ZOOLOGY. 
iNSKCTS.—“ 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 ash on the bank, its flowers 
become a universal banquet to the insect race. The Great Black Fly, Musca grossa, 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 atalanta, and Pea¬ 
cock, V. lo, Butterflies hanging with expanded wings, like open flowers themselves, enjoying 
the sunny gleam and feeding on the sweet liquor that distils fnora the nectary of this plant. 
[Journal of a Naturalist,) The Humming-bird-Hawk-moth, 3facroglossum stellatarum may 
still be seen flitting round flowers, and sipping their honey, without alighting. The 
Painted Lady Butterfly, Pontia cardui, may sometimes yet be found on the Field Scabious. 
The Gamma Moth, Phalcena Gamma. —Hazel-nuts may frequently be found with the kernel 
partly eaten away by a small grub; this is occasioned by the larvse of the Curculio nucim. 
Nut Weevil. The insect deposits its egg, 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 way through 
the tender shell, into the nut, feeding upon that, and tire white substance in the inside, till 
they^ become too hard or dry. It then commences eating the kernel, which has now become 
sumciently large and ripe for the purpose, taking care to keep the hole open by which it entered, 
both fora supply of fresh air, and likewise as a passage to escape by, when full grown. About 
the beginning of this month, or pei'haps 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 a.ssunies its beetle form. 
The habits of the spider are best observed now, and collections of the species made. 
Bi bus.—I n 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 the 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 
warmer parts of the globe, oiler a supply of food both 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 Duck tribe, seek the fens, 
lakes, and rivers; at first in the most secluded spots, till the severity of the weather 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, Anas boschas- Wildgoose, 
.^. Scaup Duck, A marila; Shoveller,.<4. cjypeata-, VochnvA, A. ferina-, &c. The Green- 
shank, Scolopax glottis ; Common Snipe, &c. Gallinago, S^c.-, the Purre, Triaga Ciaclus ; and 
other species of Sandpipers; the Redwing, Turdus iliacus; and several other winter birds of 
jiassage may now be found, 
The Curlew, Numeuius Arquata-, and Gndwit, Scolopax eegocephala-, leave the mai'shes for 
the sea shore, as soon tis the frosts set in. 
Larks arc now congregated in flocks, and great, numbers are taken in some parts of the king¬ 
dom. 
The Marten, Hirutido urhica-, and a few Swallows may still be seen till the middle of the 
month. 
FishRS.—I mmense idloals of herrings, Clupea 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 Ibund in the Derbyshire Derwent, as high as Belper, which is, according to 
the course of the rivers, 120 miles from the sea. In their journey, no obstacle can interrupt 
their progress, they mount tlie weirs, falls, or whatever obstructs their passage, frequently 
leaping out of the water to a considerable height. 
Reptiles.—S nakes become torpid. 
METEOROLOGY. 
The moisture of the atmosphere is now greatly increased and evaporation diminished. The 
mists which now foim 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 29,744. Highest 30,610. Lowest 28,740 inches. 
Thermometer. —Mean Temperature 48,9 degrees. Highest 68. Lowest 27 degrees. 
Rain.—M ean quantity 2,073 inches. 
Evaporation.— Mean 1,488. O J. 
