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THE NATURALISTS’ JOURNAL. 
Swansea. The common D. verna has been in bloom for the last 
three weeks on walls and dry banks. Both species are popularly 
known as Whitlow grass. Daphne laureola (Spurge laurel), 
flowers now in woods. The naturalised mezereon (Daphne 
mezereon) blossoms in March and botanists living in Oxfordshire 
and its other localities should look out now for its bright purple 
flowers, which appear before the leaves—A. H. Waters. 
RURAL NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 
ROYSTON, CAMBS. 
January 23rd. Filberts showing their beautiful little crimson 
blossom, this is ten days earlier than last year. Acconites and 
other spring flowers are well out. 
February 4th. “ Straws show the way the wind blows,” but 
whether the straws carried up by the sparrows mean early nesting 
and mild weather, or cold and stormy, remains to be proved, but 
I fear they are only building warm places to roost in. 
February 7th. The strongest gale we have had for years. 
February 8th. Bees carrying in large lumps of pollen. 
The poor little sparrows are blamed for eating all the corn, 
however I have now before me thirty-seven grains of barley, 
taken from the crop of one yellow-hammer. I am curious to 
know the proportion of cock sparrows to the hens at this season ? 
So far as I have been able to ascertain there is an undue 
proportion of the former, and a great many will have to remain 
bachelors unless they can go to some more favoured place to find 
suitable partners. 
February 12th. Great gale from the West.— Rambler 
February 14th. 
FORGE VALLEY, YORKSHIRE. 
By the Rev. Archdeacon Hey, m.a. 
A deep gorge excavated by the River Derwent, its steep sides 
completely draped with hanging foliage, a white road, a rushing 
stream, and a narrow strip of boggy turf at its bottom—such is 
a brief description of Forge Valley. To the Scarborough visitor, 
it affords a charming shady drive ; to the angler, much enjoy¬ 
ment always, and sometimes a few trout; to the botanist or 
entomologist, a singularly rich field, for investigation. The 
