51S Naturalist’s Monthly Report. [June ly 
tions. With respect tothe Linnean punctuation, though a little awkward at first, it ie 
founded upon true philosophical principjes, and often supplies the piace of many werds, ex- 
Pressing that/by a sign which would otherwise require a paraphrase. . 
Two of the natural orders contained in this work, the Proteace@ and the Asclepiadee, have 
been more fully detailed elsewhere ; the former in the transactions of the Linnzan, the latter 
in those of the Wernerian, societies: in the work under notice they are necessarily limited te 
guch as are natives of Aus’ ralasia. 
Qur limits prevent our entering into any particulars of the contents of this volume, nor is it 
ery necessary, a5 no botanist who is desirous of knowing any thing of the vegetable produc- 
tions ef this part of the world can be without it; and the botanical philosopher will find, in 
every part, much Co interest and assist him in his enquiries. Undoubtedly this Flora of New 
Holland will not only take the lead of all local Floras, but must rank amongst the very firs¢ 
Works for promoting the science of botany in general. 
NATURALISTS MONTHLY REPORT. 
APRIL. 
Budding Month. 
Fied now the sullen murmurs of the north, 
The splendid raiment of the spring peeps forth 3 
Her universal green, and the clear sky, 
Delight still more and qore the gazing eye. 
Wide o’er the fields, in rising moisture strong 
Shoots up the simple flower, or creeps along 
The mellowed soil. 
A’ the beginning of the month the wind was south-west; it was then easterly fora few 
“days; and on the 14th changed again to south-west. ‘The weather was cloudy, and at 
intervals rainy, till nearly the middle of the month. But from about the 16th to the 30th, 
it was unusually fine; there was no rain whatever, and during the whole of these days, 
scarcely a cloud was to be seen. About noon the sun was generally very’ powerful; and 
the roads became as dusty as in the middle of summer: the wind was, for the most part, 
easterly. 
Aprilt. I did not hear the death-watches (Ptiuus tcsselatus,) until this day. In former 
years | have generally remarked their appearance a little after the middle of March. 
~ Spiders begin to amend apdspin their webs. ; 
The vernal whitlow grass (draba verua,) and field-rush"(juneus campestris,) are in flower. 
April6. The wheat, which a few weeks ago the farmers considered as having been in a 
great measure destroy<d by the cold weather of the preceding month, is now beginning to put. 
up sew leaves from the roots. ‘The country is enveloped in smoke from the burning of couch= 
grass upon the fallows. te y 
The cow-keep-rs cut the water-crowfoot (ranunculus aguatilis,) for their cattle. The 
growth of this plant issingular. In ponds, and otherstill water, the submersed leaves, which © 
are capiilary, grow in an upright direction, and are of no great length; But, in rapid streams 
they are borne along by the current, and, taking root at each joint, frequently extend to the 
fength of several feet Cattle eat with avidity the water-crowfoot, wlien grown in clear 
“streams; but such as is produced in ponds, or muddy places, they invariubly refuse. 
April 7. [this day caught a nimble lizard (lacerta agiiis,) which was basking itself on a 
sunny bank. These reptiles appear to me to he of much brighter colour in the south than 
the north of England. ; 
April 10. After an interval, ten days, 1 again remarked the appearance of a few swallows — 
and martinsin flight. 
April 12. The cuckoo-flower (cardamine pratensis) and greater stichwort, (stellaria bola 
host@a) are in flower. 
April 16. Sand wasps (sphex sabulosa, of Linnzus ; ammophila vulgaris of Kirby in the 
Linnzan Transactions) fly about dry sandy banks. 
Field crickets (gry//us campestris) open their holes. 
April Zi. Swaliows twitter on the chimnies. These birds and the marting are now to be 
observed in as great numbers as at any time daring the summer. y 
April 23. ‘The sloe thorn is in bloom, and the hedges are becoming green. ; 
The following herbaceous plants are in flower: Narrow-leaved mouse-eat, (cerastium 
wulgatum.) Least mouse-ear, (cerastivm semidecandium.) WNaked-stalked candytuft, (iberis 
nudicaulis.) Germander speedwell, (veronica chama@drys.) Ribwort plantain, (plantago lane 
ecolata 3) and sheep’s sorrel, (Rumex acetosella;) and upright pearlwort, (sagina erecta.) 
April 27. On this day 1 caught for the first time in my life, a specimen of that extremely 
beautiiul insect, carabus nitens. I found it upon some bog-moss (sphagnum) which grew in a 
peaty place of an extensive heath. ro 
A pril 
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