508 
Monthly NaiioaUifs liepcrt. 
[Oct. I, 
splendid ornaiiicnt of our green-houses. The drawing of this plant Is very characteristic, and 
one of the most beautiful in' the vvorlr. 
Erica odcrsta. The heaths har'e few of them an^ scent, bat this and fragrans make two 
cxceolions, both of them having a powerful and agreeable perfume j that of the former is 
compared by Ifr. Sims to a mixture of roses and honeysuckles. It is likew’ise very elegant 
in its growth. 
Ruellia form-osa. A highly ornamental stove plant, producing splendid scarlet flowers 
most part of the summer. From Messrs. Whitley, Eraine, and Pvlartin’s. 
Lachenalia contamlnaia, L. iucidaf unkolor and contaminata appear to be nearly allied, ia 
their flowers, though their foliage is sufficiently different. 
Uvuiaria Native of North America, introduced by Messrs. Fraser and-Sons. 
Smilacina borealis. This is the same plant as was figured in the former edition of the 
Hbrtus Kew'ensis, under the name of Dracosna borealis. The one before published under 
this name as a supposed variety, Pvdr. Ker is convinced, upon having seen ooch, it is a dif¬ 
ferent species which he calls umbellata. Dianella ensifolia a. An old stove plant j but 
its native country and li.me of introduction, both uncertain. 
NATURALISES MONTHLY REPORT. 
AUGUST. 
Reapir.g month. 
Now Ceres’ gifts in waving prospect stand, 
And, nodding, tempt the joyful reaper’s hand. 
'VSrEATHER more favourable for the reaping and housing of corn, than that which we have 
had during the present month, has, I believe, been seldom known. The little rain 
that has fallen, has also been of considerable service. 
The wind was westerly from the 1st to the 4th of the month, on the 5th, nor i-vvest; 
on the bth, 7th, and 8th, westerly ; on the 9th, north-west ; on the 10th and Hth', north¬ 
east ; and the 1^2th and 13th, westerly ; on the 14th and 15th, north-east j on the 16th and 
17th, north-west; on the 18th and 19th, south-eastj on the 20th, 21st, and 22d, westerly; 
on the 23d, south-west; on the 24th, southerly ; on the 25th and 26th, variable j from the 
27th to the 29th, westerly ; and on the 30th and 31st, north. 
We had strong gales and squally weather on the 4th, 8th, and 9th, but during all the re¬ 
mainder of the mouth the weather was unusually mild and pleasant. There has been no 
thunder storm, 
August 2d. The farmers are beginning to house their pease and their barley. Circular 
cobwebs are now observable upon the bushes and banks. 
August 6th, I have lately seen several of the caterpillars of the death’s-head, hawk- 
moth [sphinx atrepoSf of Linnffius), and am informed, that they are this year, much more 
common than usual. Some superstitious and foolish persons have imagined, that they are 
ominous of some evil, but they cannot even conjecture what. The moths which proceed 
from these are by much the largest of any of the British species, the wings of the females 
being frequently known to expand upwards of five inches. The caterpillars, which are of 
great size, and a;i extremely beautiful colour, feed on the leaves of the potatpe. During the 
day time, they conceal themselves on the stems of such of the plants where the leaves are 
large and numerous; and they feed almost wholly in the night. 
August 8th. Several species of wild orache, or goosefoot (chenopodium')^ the marsh mal¬ 
low, or wymote (althea c^cinalis)y milk thistle [carduus mananus)^ water hemp agrimony 
(b'ldeiis ctrnua, nwA bidens tripartita)y amphibious snakeweed {polygonum ampbibmm)y and la- 
vendar thrift [staiice limon\um)y are nowin flower. 
August 12th. The breed of the partridges is said to have suffered greatly from the wet 
weather that occurred about the season when young birds were hatched. 
A pair of cross-bills, (male and female) which w^erc caught in the autumn of last year, 
have survived the winter, and are now alive and in perfect vigour, at a nobleman’s mansion 
i.n this neighbourhood. 
August 13th. I have observed, that the fruit of the hawthorn is in great abundance. 
The common people suppose, that this is an indication of an ensuing hard winter ; a notion 
evidently derived from the supposition, that when Divine Wisdom in severe winters de¬ 
prives the race of smaller birds of some of their usual supplies of winter’s food, it gives them 
as an equivalent an «xtra provision of haws, and other kinds of wild fruit. 
August 20th. The rtlbreast sings. 
August 22d. The clouded yellow butterflies {papilio edusa'), are in much greater abun¬ 
dance than I have usually seen thttn. They are nearly as common as the orange-tip butter- 
fiies {papiUo cardaminasy) are in the spr'Kig. 
Ib 
