430 
s 
VI.—NATURALIST’S CALENDAR, 
FOR MARCH. 
BOTANY. 
March is a month of promise; vegetation is almost universally in motion, and the presence 
of spring is every-where manifest. The hedges present a cheerful appearance with the catkins 
of the Hazel and Willow, and the snowy blossoms of the Sloe; the banks are adorned with 
“ the sweetest of all flowers, the Violet,’’ and towards the end of the month, with the I’rimrose. 
and Pilewort; the fields are studded with the Daisy, and the gardens are brilliantly decorated 
with the Crocus, the Snowdrop, the Mepatica, and the Arabis. 
I'he wild plants in flower are too numerous to allow of a complete list of them being given 
here; among them, however, may be mentioned the following: Marsh Marigold or Gowan, 
Cdltha palustris; Bear’s-foot, HelUhorus fosHidus; Pilewort, t'icaria verna; Hairy Lady- 
cress, Carddmine hirsiita ; Yellow Alpine U'hitlow-cress, Draba aiz'didcs ; MountainDittan- 
AtTy Hutch'msia petrtB^a ; Sweet Violet, oxford/a ; Little Mouse-ear, Cerdstium semide- 
cdndrium ; Sloe, Priinus spm<)sa ; BaiTen Strawberry, Potentilla Fragdria, (Fragaria sterilis,) 
Coltsfoot, Tussildgo Farfora; Spurge Laurel, Ddphne Lauredla; Wood Spurge and Red 
Spurge, Evphdrbia amygdalo/des and Charncias ; several species of Elm, Ulmut ; and Willow, 
Salix ; Dwarf Ixia, Trichon^ma Ilulbocddium ; Spring Crocus, CtJcus vprnus, —this plant now 
presents a most beautiful appearance in the Meadows, at Nottingham ; many acres lining en. 
tirely covered with it, and appearing to the eye at a short distance, one vast sheet of purjile. 
The flowers are generally stronger and finer than those grown in gardens, and mostly of various 
shades of purple or white. Daffodil, Natc/ssus Pseddo-narc'/ssus ; IVo-leaved S(|uill, Sc.'Ua 
bifdlia; Butcher’s Broom, Ruscus aculedtvs ; Hairy Wood Rush, Liizula pildsa; Harcs- 
tail Cotton-grass, EriSphorum vagindtum; Least Bent-grass, ChaviagnSstis minima-, Heatli 
Broom-Moss, Dleranvm scppariurn -, and Yew-leaved Broom-Moss, D. laxifdlium. 
ZOOLOGY. 
INSECTS.—The Humming-bird Hav/k-Moth, MacroglJssom stellatnrvin, may frequently he 
found in gardens, and in lanes near woods. Its flight is swift and remarkable. The caterpil¬ 
lar is found on stellated plants [StellattB) The Great and Small Tortoise-shell Butterflies, Fa- 
nbssapolychldros &nA Z7r/«c<s, and the Red Admirable, V. atalanta, having lived through ti.e 
winter, now come forth. The Sprinkled AVood Butterfly, Hippdrehia eeg^ria ; the Oak 
Beauty Moth, Rislonprodromarius •, the March Moth, Anisdpteryx <xsculdria and the Orange 
Underwing Moth, Br>pha Parthinias, may now be met with. The caterpillars of that scarce 
butterfly, the Plantain Fritillary, Melitcea cinxia; leave their winter nests in the begin- 
ning of the month, to feed on the leaves of the Mouse-ear Hawkweed, Plaintain, and Grass. 
They are blackish, with rows of spines alternately white and red. 
The larvae of the beautiful Rose Beetle or Chafer, Cetdnia aurdta. may now be found among 
the roots of Rose-trees,—they are of a cream-colour with brown heads and feet. 
“It is now the proper time to collect many species of Wild Bees, and Diptera, not afterwards 
to be met with; and various other insects begin now to emerge from their winter quarters, or 
are produced from the pupa.”— Kirby 8c Spence. 
BIRDS.—The Woodcock, Scdlopax rusticdla; the Snipe, S. Gallindgo; and the Jack-Snipe, 
S. Gallintila; leave their winter haunts for the sea-shore, previous to their departure for their 
breeding places in more northwardly climates, though some remain the whole year, and breed 
in this country. 
The Merlin, Fdlco JEsalon-, the Woodcock Owl, Strix brochydtus; the Hooded or Rovston 
Crow, Cdrvus CJrnix; the Redwing, Tardus iliacus-, the Wigeon, Mar^ca ftstuldns, fAnas 
Penelope, Lin.); the Pochard, Nyrdca ferina, (A. ferina, Lin.); the Teal, ^uerquhlttla crecca, 
(A. crecca, Lin.) ; and the White-Fronted Goose, Anser dlbifrons-, also migrate northward. 
A few of the summer birds-of-passage begin to arrive; the first is the Wlieat-ear, Saxicdla 
OSndnthe, which arrives about the middle of the month, and is found generally on stone walls 
on moors, or unfrequented places. The Stone Curlew, (Edicn^mvs crepitans, (CliarAdriu.s 
Qi^dicn^mus, Lin.) arrives in the southern counties. The Lesser Pettychaps, or Chiff-chaft', 
Sylvia Hippoldis, may towards the end of the month be heard in the woods. It takes its station 
on the tops of the highest trees, and there repeats in a deliberate and monotonous manner, tlie 
simple call from which it takes its name, “chift-chaff chiff-chaff,” its sameness rendereil more 
remarkable, by the full choir of voices with which it is surrounded. 
Many birds are now busy in building, or preparing for it, their songs are every-where heard, 
and a general bustle and activity seem to pervade their whole race- 
Q,UADRUPEDS.—The Squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris; and tlie Dormouse, Mydxus mnscardinus 
or avellandrius; awaken from their winter sleep and leave their retreats; thimgh in mild sea. 
sons this sometimes takes jilace earlier. 
REPTILES.—The Common Viper, Vxpera communis; and the Toad, lldfo communis ; re- 
vive from their torpidity. 
METEOROLOGY. 
Bahoemter. —Mean Height 29,843. Highest 30,770. Lowest 28,870 inclie.*;. 
Ther.mom ETER—Mean Temjieratlire 43,9 degrees. Highest 74. Lowest 21 degrees. 
Rain. —Mean quantity ),440 iiiclits. 
Evaporatio.n.—M ean quantity l,48-.5 inclies. 
Duffield Bank, February, 1832. 
O. J. 
