238 
V.—NATURALIST S CALENDAR. 
FOR NOVEMBER. 
BOTANY. 
The season of flovve/s is now over, tliose \vliich yet I'emainlook sickly and languid; the trees air 
becoming bare of leaves, and every tiling begins to wear agloomy and melancholy appearance. 
The hedges, however, are occasionally enlivened with the scarlet fruit of the Rose and Hawthorn. 
It is to the Class Cryptogamia or Cellulares, that the Botanist must now turn for objects of 
interest, and his attention, no longer engrossed by the more showy [lartsof the vegetable W'orld, 
will find sufficient employment and gratification in examining the highly interesting and won¬ 
derfully varied forms of these singular productions.—The 1MU.SCI, (Mosses,) by their vivid 
green, the variety of their forms, the delicacy of their fruit stems, and above all, by the contrast 
they offer to the faded and russet colour of the herbage at this sea.«on, cannot fail to attract hi.s 
attention. They are to be found on banks, stones, rocks, trees, and walls; in rivers and in stag¬ 
nant waters.—T'^lie Het atic^, too, are well wdrthy examination. Some of them, as Liver¬ 
wort, Marchantia, are found in damp places, on the inside of wells and watercoui'ses; and others 
as ./M«yerwjrt«nfa, among moss, in woods, shady places, and hogs. The Lichenes, (Lichens,) 
will be found universally distributed, as scarcely a stone, a tree, or wall, if it has been long ex¬ 
posed to the weather, is to be found without them. The beautiful “\veather tints," (as they 
are called,) of old buildings, are occasioned by various species of Lichens. The sober grey 
tint, which we so much admire, on churches, and other old buildings, is chiefly produced by 
the Rinodina ntra, and the rich yellow on tree stocks, and walls, by the Parmelia parietina. 
The Ramalina fraxinea and fastigiaii are very conspicuous on old trees. The Rein-deer Lichen 
r Cladonia rangiferina,J so useful as the chief food of that valuable animal, is not unfrequent on 
moors and heaths, and the Iceland Lichen, Cetraria Islandica, so well known as yielding a nu¬ 
tritive jelly, of use in consumptive cases, and which forms an important article of diet with the 
Icelanders, is found on the tops of the highest mountains in Scotland, Wales, and the North of 
England. Several of the species are useful in dyeing, and it is highly probable that many 
might be useful in medicine.—The Fungi are still numerous; the Agarics, by the variety of 
their vivid colours, give the fields the appearance of being studded with flowers, while “ the 
deep recesses of unfrequented woods are gemmed with the varied beauties of Hydmm, Helvella, 
Auricularia, Peziza, i\idularia, ^c. The cones of the Fir in a state of decay, particularly of 
the Scotch Fir, Pinus sylvestris, present the beautiful Hydnum auriscalpium, never found on 
the plants of any other Genus. Peziza fructigena spangles the external covering of the Beech¬ 
nut, Acorn, Chesnut, and other coriaceous fruits; and the Peziza nivea, with its delicate mi¬ 
nute cups of pearly whiteness, is found on the withered stems of the Common Nettle, Urtica 
JJioica, and similar herbaceous plants. But it would be almost an endless task to attempt a 
detail of the myriads which spring from the deep vegetable mould of old and undisturbed plan¬ 
tations. The contemplation of objects so full of interest and novelty, is calculated greatly to 
rouse the reflecting mind to a consideration of the beautiful shades by which the visible organiza¬ 
tion of the vegetable kingdom appears to be carried to that mysterious point, where a new cha¬ 
racter seems to arise, forming, as it were, a link between the vegetable and animal creation; a 
contemplation greatly worthy the attention of enquiring minds,” * 
iincerfciinty prevails with regard to the boundariesof the different Orders and Genera of 
Cetiulares, particulaiiy Lichenes and Fungi. Professor Lindley has promised a volume on the 
subject, as a completion of his Synopsis, which it is hoped will place them on a more settled 
foundation. 
ZOOLOGY. 
—Most of those insects which havenotbeen killed by the frosts, have now retired 
to their winter habitations, and become torpid; a few mild days and a gleam of sunshine are 
however, sufficient to bring many of them forth for a short time. A few moths may now be 
r.’ '' inter Moth, Geometra brumaria, and the Flat-body Moth, Geometra applana. 
1 he Faterpilhirs of most of the Lepidopteree have now either taken the Chrysalis form, and may 
e found on window frames, and under any projection on walls and house sides, or buried in the 
ground ; or such as were hatched too late to do this, have spun themselves warm winter nests, 
in which they Utc in societies, as Porthesia aurifiua and chrysorrhoea ; these may be found on 
wigs of trees. The Entomologist will do well to search for these winter habitations, as he will 
^ to himself specimens of many species he could not otherwise easily obtain, but 
It find much to interest and excite his admiration in the various contrivances to ensure the 
safety and comfort of their inhabitants. 
7 he winter has now set in, and the marshes and fens being frozen, those birds which 
places are driven to the banks of rivers for a supply of food. 
1 ttie Irost in the north is suddenly severe, large flights of Woodcocks are sometimes seen this 
'tT-* they remain one day to recruit their strength, and then disperse." 
\v a" brc<chyotus, arrives from the nortliern countries about the same time as 
e oodcock, from which circumstance it is sometimes called the M'oodcock-Owl. Some 
singular circumstancp are recorded of this Owl in the new edition of Montagu’s Ornithological 
rtf . years ago, mice were in such vast abundance in the neighbourhood 
if,> ^ liirge portion of vegetation ; and in the autumn a great many 
. order to prey upon them. 1 hey were found in the fields 
flip 303 is the following extract from an old author, (Uiildrey.) “in 
flip?/ *1 II^Bowtide, an aimy of mice so over-ran the marshes near South Minster, that 
^ roots. Hut at length a great numberof strange painted Owls 
oi ^ de\onredall the mice. The like happened in Essex, in 1648.’’ A similar instaiice 
V^j*^**^*^' (^‘■‘^IJoit. Keg, page 233.) The instinct which can direct these 
ri i-r r ofa distant country, to the place where their food is most abundant, is truly w'on- 
clertul, and deserving of investigation. 
Charadrius Alorinellus, visits ns for a short time on its way to the south. The 
siimpHhas now arrived; and the Htarmivian, Tetrao lagopus, has as¬ 
sumed its winter dress of white. ' J i' ' 
* introduction to tht Elements of the Linniran Systtm of Botany, by .Mrs. liardcastle, 4to. mO. 
