public domain works in the ,international ,children's ,digital ,library47 ,illustration ,,country ,,walks ,,of ,a ,,naturalist ,,with ,,his ,,children4 ,,by ,,rev4 ,w4 ,,houghton1 ,m4,a41 ,f4,l4,s41 ,,rector ,,of ,,preston ,,on ,,the ,,wild ,,moors1 ,,shropshire4 ,,illustrated ,,with ,,eight ,,coloured ,,plates ,,and ,,numerous ,,wood ,,engravings4 ,,second ,,edition4 ,,london3 ,,groombridge ,,and ,,sons1 #e1 ,,paternoster ,,row4 ,,mdccclxx4 ,,preface4 ,in this little book my desire has been1 not so much to impart knowledge to young people1 as to induce them to acquire it for themselves4 ,i have endeavoured to show that ,country ,walks may be full of interest and instruction to all who care to make good use of their eyes4 ,if ,i have failed1 the fault rests with me for the way in which ,i have treated the subject4 ,i am aware that ,i have occasionally used words and phrases which may puzzle young brains1 but ,i hope that nearly all will be intelligible to boys and girls of nine or ten years old1 with a little explanation from parents or teachers4 ,the chief1 if not the sole merit of this little book consists in the illustrations which adorn it2 and ,i must express my sincere gratitude to ,mr4 ,gould1 the eminent ornithologist1 for his kind permission to copy some of the magnificent drawings in his work on ',the ,birds of ,great ,britain4' ,to ,mr4 ,r4 ,s4 ,chattock1 of ,solihull1 ,i am also deeply indebted1 for the pains he has taken in reproducing1 on a reduced scale1 ,mr4 ,gould's drawings1 and for the drawings of the sticklebacks and the frontispiece4 ,my generous friend and neighbour1 ,mr4 ,eyton1 of ,eyton1 has furnished another instance of his numerous acts of kindness1 in allowing me the use of ,mr4 ,gould's work and of various woodcuts4 ,to two lady friends ,i also express my best thanks2 and last1 though not least1 to the publishers1 ,messrs4 ,groombridge1 for the care they have taken to present the volume to the public in a very attractive form4 ,,contents4 ,,page ,,walk ,i4--,,april #a ,on the ,moors--,swallows--,water-voles--,peewit s--,marsh ,marigold--,water-primrose--,moles--,her ons--,kingfishers-- ,moschatelle--,water-scorpion4 ,,walk ,,ii4--,,april #ag ,ophrydium--,reed ,sparrow--,whirligig ,beetles--,fresh-water ,mussels--,zebra ,mussel--,titmice--,thrushes cracking ,snail-shells--,dabbling in a ,pond--,dyticus1 or ,great ,water-beetle--,corethra ,larva--,weasels4 ,,walk ,,iii4--,,may #cf ,searching for ,sticklebacks' ,nests--,nest-making ,fish--,snail ,leeches--,other ,leeches--,cuckoo ,flowers--,blue ,speedwell--,stitchwort--,tadpoles--,fro gs--,frog and ,cat4 ,,walk ,,iv4--,,may #ej ,the ,melicerta or ,tubicolous ,wheel-animalcule--,water-crowfoot or ,buttercup--,sedge-warbler--,reed-warble r's ,nest--,cuckoos--,horsetail--,hydr4 ,,walk ,v4--,,may #fi ,drive to ,shawbury--,trout ,fishing--,parasite on ,trout--,curious habit of a ,two-winged ,fly--,ephemer1 or ,may-flies--,willy hooking out ,dace--,another fish ,parasite--,globe ,flower--,dragon-flies--,quotation from ,thomson's ',seasons4' ,,walk ,,vi4--,,june #hd ,in the ,fields--,st4 ,george's ,mushroom--,tree-creepers--,a handful of ,grasses--,nettles and ,dead ,nettles--,butterfly--,larv feeding on ,nettle ,leaves--,fresh-water ,polyzoa--,eggs of ,newts--,development of ,newts--,donacia ,beetles--,planarian ,worms4 ,,walk ,,vii4--,,june #ajc ,hedgehog and young ones--,hedgehogs1 injurious or not8--,on the ,moors again--,great ,tomtit--,shrikes or ,butcher ,birds--,lady-bird ,beetles--,swifts--,coots--,water-hens-- ,grebes--,convolvulus4 ,,walk ,,viii4--,,july #aai ,frog's ,spawn ,alga--,other ,fresh-water ,alg--,hawks--,kestrel--,sparrow ,hawk--,buzzard--,shrew-mouse1 superstitions about--,spiders' ,nests and ,webs--,spiders' ,fangs--,spiders' ,feet4 ,,walk ,,ix4--,,july #acc ,in the ,fields again--,scarlet ,pimpernel--,goat's ,beard--,caddis ,worms and ,flies--,forget-me-not--,goldfinches--,c ruelty of country lads to young birds--,grasshoppers--,crickets--,pike1 voracity and size of4 ,,walk ,x4--,,october #ade ,in the ,woods at the foot of the ,wrekin--,a hunt for ,fungi--,fly ,agarics--,victims nailed to a tree--,gamekeepers--,squirrels--,rare ,fungi--,woodcocks--,ring-marks on fallen timber--,conclusion4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,country ,,walks ,,of ,a ,,naturalist ,,with ,,his ,,children4 ,,walk ,i4 ,,april4 ,we could not have a more pleasant day1 children1 for a ramble in the fields than to-day4 ,it is warm and bright1 and the birds are singing merrily1 thoroughly enjoying the sunshine2 the little lambs are frisking about1 and running races with each other4 ,put away lessons then1 and we will have a holiday4 ,oh1 said ,willy1 it will be so pleasant1 and ,i will take one or two bottles1 and my gauze net1 because we are sure to find something interesting to bring home4 ,where shall we go8 ,i do not think it much matters where1 for there is always much to observe and to admire wherever we stroll in the country4 ,let us go on the moors1 then1 said ,jack1 for you know1 papa1 a little boy in the village told me the other day he had found a peewit's nest with four eggs in1 and ,i should like to try and find one myself4 ,well1 here we are1 then2 we shall have to jump over a drain or two in our ramble1 and as the banks are soft it will be necessary to take great care1 or we may tumble in4 ,ah6 do you see1 there are two sand-martins1 the first ,i have seen this year4 ,see how fast they fly1 now sailing high up in the air1 now skimming quite close to the ground4 ,i have not seen any swallows or house-martins yet1 but no doubt they will make their appearance in a few days4 ,where do they come from1 papa1 asked ,may1 because we never see these birds in the winter8 ,you often say1 when the spring comes we shall see the swallows1 and then they go away again towards the end of summer4 ,let us sit down on this clump of wood1 and ,i will tell you about the swallows4 ,we have in this country four different species of the swallow family which visit us every year2 they come to us from ,africa3 these are the sand-martin1 two specimens of which we have just seen1 the swallow1 the house-martin1 and the swift4 ,a very little attention will enable you to distinguish these different kinds4 ,the sand-martin is the smallest of the family2 as the birds fly by us you notice that the back part is brown1 or mouse colour2 the under part white4 ,the back of the house-martin is of a glossy black or bluish-black colour2 it is white underneath2 while the swallow1 which is larger than the other two1 has a glossy back1 like the house-martin2 but underneath it is more or less tinged with buff2 and see1 as ,i speak here is one flying past us4 ,to-day is the #abth of ,april1 about the time the swallow generally comes to this country4 ,now you see clearly enough its colour1 and you will notice1 too1 a very marked difference in the form of its tail2 see how much forked it is1 much more so than the tail of the martin4 ,this forked appearance is produced by the two outer tail feathers1 which are much longer than the rest4 ,now ,i hope you will take notice of these differences1 and call things by their right names1 instead of jumbling them all up together under the name of swallow4 ,i have not spoken of the swift1 which does not visit this country till ,may2 it is the largest of the swallow family1 and has the whole of its body1 both above and beneath1 of a blackish-brown colour1 except a small patch of dirty white under the chin4 ,but1 papa1 said ,jack1 do all these four kinds of swallows come from ,africa8 ,it is very curious to know how they can find their way backwards and forwards from ,africa to this country1 and how they come back to the very spots they visited the year before8 ,indeed1 it is a very curious thing2 nevertheless experiments have been made to show that these birds return every year to the same localities4 ,many years ago ,dr4 ,jenner procured several swifts from a farmhouse in ,gloucestershire1 and marked them by cutting off two claws from the foot of twelve of them4 ,next year their hiding places were examined in the evening1 when the birds had gone to roost1 when ,dr4 ,jenner found many of the birds he had marked by cutting off the two claws4 ,for two or three consecutive years he examined their nesting places1 and always found some of his marked birds4 ,at the end of seven years a cat brought a swift into the farmer's kitchen1 and this was one of those which ,dr4 ,jenner had marked4 ,now1 ,willy1 ,i will ask you a question in geography4 ,the swallow family visits this country from ,africa4 ,what sea1 then1 must the birds fly across8 ,the ,mediterranean1 papa4 ,quite right2 and now can you tell me the narrowest part of the ,mediterranean ,sea8 ,the ,straits of ,gibraltar4 ,right again2 and there the passage is about five miles wide2 and at ,gibraltar swallows1 swifts1 and martins are often seen as well as several other bird-visitors of this country4 ,people on board ship have seen swallows a long way from land passing between ,europe and ,africa4 ,sometimes the poor birds are so tired from their flight that they are obliged to rest on the masts1 yards1 and rigging of the vessels4 ,this often happens when the weather is hazy4 ,holloa1 ,jack1 what is that splash in the water about six yards off8 ,keep quiet1 and we shall see what it was4 ,ah6 it is one of my friends1 the water-voles2 ,i see the rogue1 with his large yellow teeth and black eyes4 ,do you see8 ,he is on the other side of the drain1 nibbling away at something4 ,people generally call him a water-rat1 but he is no relation at all to a rat1 nor is he an injurious creature like it4 ,well1 but papa1 said ,willy1 the lads in the village always kill these water-rats1 as they call them1 whenever they can4 ,i suppose they take them for common rats4 ,do you say they do no harm8 ,very little1 water-voles will not eat young chickens and ducklings2 nor do they find their way into stacks and consume the corn2 their food is entirely confined to vegetables1 such as the roots and stems of water-weeds4 ,i feel1 however1 pretty sure that the water-vole is fond of beans1 and will occasionally do some mischief where a field of newly-sown beans adjoins the river or stream1 in the banks of which these animals form their holes4 ,i will clap my hands1 and off our little friend with his dusky coat starts1 diving under the water1 whence when he comes out he will probably escape into a hole on the bank4 ,some day ,i will show you the skulls of a water-vole and a rat1 and you will see there is a great difference in the form and arrangement of the teeth1 and that the first-named animal is not1 as ,i said before1 related to the rat4 ,the water-vole is really a relative of that interesting creature you have often read of--,i mean the beaver4 ,well1 papa1 said ,jack1 ,i am tired of sitting here1 let us now go and hunt for peewit's eggs4 ,all right1 ,jack1 and if you find any you shall each have one for your breakfast in the morning4 ,when hard-boiled and cold1 a peewit's egg is a very delicious thing1 though ,i think the peewits are such valuable birds1 and do so much good1 that ,i should not like to take many of their eggs4 ,we had better separate from each other1 so as to have a better chance of finding a nest4 ,soon we hear a shout from ,willy1 whose sharp eyes had discovered a nest with four eggs in it2 so off we all scamper to him4 ,see how the old bird screams and flaps1 and how near she comes to us2 she knows we have found her eggs1 and wishes to lure us away from the spot2 so she pretends she has been wounded1 and tries to make us follow after her4 ,now1 ,jack1 run and catch her4 ,hah6 ,hah6 ,there they go4 ,i will back the peewit against the boy4 ,so you have given up the chase1 have you8 ,well1 rest again1 and take breath4 ,the peewit1 as you saw1 makes scarcely any nest1 merely a hollow in the ground1 with1 perhaps1 a few dried grasses4 ,the peculiar instinct of the peewit in misleading people as to the whereabouts of its eggs1 or young ones1 is very curious4 ,illustration3 ,,lapwing4 ,a very observant naturalist says1 ,as soon as any one appears in the fields where the nest is1 the bird runs quietly and rapidly in a stooping posture to some distance from it1 and then rises with loud cries and appearance of alarm1 as if her nest was immediately below the spot she rose from4 ,when the young ones are hatched1 too1 the place to look for them is1 not where the parent birds are screaming and fluttering about1 but at some little distance from it4 ,as soon as you actually come to the spot where their young are1 the old birds alight on the ground a hundred yards or so from you1 watching your movements4 ,if1 however1 you pick up one of the young ones1 both male and female immediately throw off all disguise1 and come wheeling and screaming around your head1 as if about to fly in your face4 ,peewits are certainly bold birds when their young ones are in danger4 ,mr4 ,charles ,st4 ,john says he has often seen the hooded crows hunting the fields frequented by the peewits1 as regularly as a pointer1 flying a few yards above the ground1 and searching for the eggs4 ,the cunning crow always selects the time when the old birds are away on the shore4 ,as soon as he is perceived1 however1 the peewits all combine in chasing him away4 ,we are told that they will also attack any bird of prey that ventures near their breeding ground2 they are quarrelsome1 too1 and the cock birds will fight with each other should they come into too close quarters4 ,a cock bird one day attacked a wounded male bird which came near his nest2 the pugnacious little fellow ran up to the intruder1 and taking advantage of his weakness1 jumped on him1 and pecking at his head1 dragged him along the ground as fiercely as a game cock4 ,this was witnessed by ,mr4 ,st4 ,john4,a ,i have often heard peewits uttering their peculiar noise1 said ,willy1 quite late at night4 ,what do they feed on8 ,i should so much like to have a tame young one4 ,the food of the peewits consists of insects1 worms1 snails1 slugs1 the larv of various insects2 ,i am certain they do much good to the farmer by destroying numerous insect-pests4 ,oh1 papa1 exclaimed ,may1 do come here1 what a splendid cluster of bright golden flowers is growing on the side of the drain4 ,yes1 indeed it is a beautiful cluster2 it is the marsh-marigold1 and looks like a gigantic buttercup2 it is sometimes in flower as early as ,march1 and continues to blossom for three months or more4 ,country people often call it the may-flower1 as being one of the flowers once used for may-garlands4 ,i dare say you have sometimes seen wreaths hanging on cottage doors4 ,some people have invented what ,i think very ugly names for this showy plant1 such as horse-blob1 water-blob4 ,beneath the shelving bank's retreat ,the horseblob swells its golden ball4 ,i have somewhere read that the young buds are sometimes pickled and used instead of capers1 but ,i do not think ,i should like to try them4 ,and what1 asked ,may1 are those bright green feathery tufts under the water8 they are very pretty1 but they do not bear any flowers4 ,no1 there are no flowers at present1 but in about a month's time you will see plenty4 ,out of the middle of the feathery tuft there grows a single tall stem with whorls of four1 five1 or six pale purple flowers occurring at intervals4 ,its ,english name is water-violet1--not a fitting name for it1 because this plant is not at all related to the violet tribe1 but is one of the primrose family2 so we should more correctly call it water-primrose4 ,its ,latin name is ,hottonia palustris2 it is called ,hottonia in honour of a ,german botanist1 ,professor ,hotton1 of ,leyden4 ,willy will tell us that the word palustris means marshy1 in allusion to the places where the water primrose is found growing4 ,it is a very common plant in the ditches on the moors here1 and ,i will take care to show you its pretty tall stem when the flowers appear4 ,while ,i was talking to ,may about the water primrose1 ,jack espied a sulphur-coloured butterfly1 and off he set in full chase2 he did not1 however1 succeed in capturing it1 for his foot tripped over a molehill and down he tumbled--the beautiful sulphur butterfly having fled across a wide ditch and escaped4 ,not far from where he fell there was a thorn bush and a number of unfortunate moles gibbeted thereon3 some had been killed quite recently1 so ,i took three or four from the thorn with the intention of taking them home and examining their stomachs to see what they had eaten4 ,in the meantime1 down we sat on an adjoining bank covered with primroses looking so gay and smelling so sweet4 ,willy then wanted to know the history of the mole2 why people generally think it right to kill these animals1 and whether they really are blind4 ,may1 of course1 could not resist the charm of collecting primroses for mamma4 ,the two boys cared more for animals1 so ,i answered their questions about the mole4 ,first of all ,i pointed out the amazing strength of its feet1 its soft and silky fur1 the form of its body so well adapted for a rapid progress through the underground passages it forms4 ,look1 ,i said1 at its soft fur1 how it will lie in any direction2 each delicate hair is inserted in the skin perpendicularly to its surface1 so that the mole can move rapidly either backwards or forwards with great ease2 the fur1 lying as readily in one direction as another1 makes no difficulty to a backward retreat4 ,if you look closely when ,i push away the fur with my finger and breath in the neighbourhood of the eyes1 you will see two tiny black specs2 so we can hardly call the mole a blind animal2 but as it lives for the most part underground its power of vision must be small4 ,the fore feet do the work of the spade and potato-fork combined2 its sense of smell is acute1 and this1 no doubt1 aids the animal in the search of its food2 the mole's sense of hearing is also very good4 ,well1 but1 papa1 exclaimed ,jack1 a mole has got no ears1 so how can it hear8 ,there is no outward appearance of ears1 it is true1 but look3 ,i blow away the fur1 and now you see clearly a hole which is the beginning of the passage that leads to the internal ear4 ,the ears of many animals are very admirably made and fitted for the purpose of receiving sounds1 but you must not suppose that because some animals--as moles1 seals1 whales1 c4--have no outward appendages1 they are destitute of ears and the power of hearing4 ,but you must wait till you are a little older1 and then ,i will explain to you the matter more fully4 ,the little curiously shaped earbones which are found in all mammalia are found also in the mole2 and ,i have in my drawer at home a mole's earbones which ,i dissected from the animal4 ,but here comes1 ,i do think1 the mole-catcher himself2 let us hear what he has to say4 ,good morning1 ,mr4 ,mole-catcher2 have you been setting any more traps to-day8 ,i suppose those unfortunate fellows gibbeted on yonder thorn were caught by you4 ,well1 yeez1 sir1 he replied1 ,i reckons as they were2 ,i have stopped their play1 ,i guess2 but there's a plaguey lot more on them about1 ,i'm a thinking4 ,what harm do you consider that moles do8 ,i asked4 ,harm1 maister8 why1 lor' bless you1 see them hummocks they throw up all about4 ,the farmers dunna like them ugly heaps1 ,i can assure you4 ,probably not2 still if they were spread on the land the soil would be as good as top-dressing4 ,do you know what moles eat8 ,well1 sir1 ,i believes they eats worms4 ,yes1 they feed principally on worms1 but they also devour wireworms and other creatures which prey upon the farmer's crops4 ,i think moles do more good than harm1 and ,i have examined the stomachs of many1 and ,i am of opinion that it is a mistake to kill them4 ,lor'1 sir1 you be's a gemman that has seen the inside of a mole's stomach1 has you8 ,you may be a cliver sort of a mon1 but moles be varmint4 ,thus saying1 the old fellow wished us good morning and left us4 ,papa1 said ,willy1 do not moles make very curious places under the ground in which they reside at times8 ,i think ,i have somewhere seen pictures of these encampments4 ,yes1 they do2 but ,i only know of them from description and figures2 the fortress is generally made under a hillock2 it consists of many galleries connected with each other1 and with a central chamber4 ,you remember a young mole was brought to us last summer1 and that we put it into a box with plenty of loose earth and some worms4 ,we only kept it a day or two4 ,one morning ,i found it dead4 ,i suppose it had not enough to eat4 ,the mole has an insatiable appetite1 and1 according to the observations of some naturalists1 it will devour birds4 ,mr4 ,bell says that even the weaker of its own species under particular circumstances are not exempted from this promiscuous ferocity2 for if two moles be placed together in a box without a very plentiful supply of food the weaker certainly falls a prey to the stronger4 ,no thoroughbred bulldog keeps a firmer hold of the object of its attack than the mole4 ,mr4 ,jackson1 a very intelligent mole-catcher1 says that1 when a boy1 his hand was so severely and firmly laid hold of by one that he was obliged to use his teeth in order to loosen its hold4 ,illustration3 ,,heron ,,and ,,young4 ,we now proceeded on our ramble1 and ,i espied about one hundred yards off a heron on the bank of the ,strine4 ,he did not see us at first1 but when we got a little nearer1 off he flew1 with his long legs stretched out behind1 and his head bent close to his shoulders4 ,he had evidently been fishing1 for we could see the scales of fish on the side of the bank4 ,willy asked whether herons built on trees1 and ,jack wanted to know how they managed with their great long legs while sitting on their nests4 ,these birds in the breeding season assemble together and make their nests on tall firs or oak trees2 sometimes they build on rocks near the sea coast4 ,it is said1 too1 that they will occasionally build on the ground4 ,the heron's nest is not unlike that of the rook1 only larger and broader2 it is made of sticks and lined with wool and coarse grass2 the female lays four or five eggs of a green colour1 her long legs are tucked under her4 ,rooks and jackdaws sometimes take up their quarters near to a heronry1 and do you know they steal their eggs1 the rogues1 and devour them4 ,both male and female herons take great care of their little ones and bring them food4 ,besides fish the heron will eat frogs1 rats1 young ducks1 and coots4 ,eels are great dainties in the opinion of ,mr4 ,heron2 and sometimes an eel1 after being pierced through the head by the sharp and strong bill of the heron1 manages to wrap himself so tight round the bird's neck as to stop his breathing and cause his death4 ,a good many years ago herons were protected by the law2 they were considered royal game1 and their capture by the peregrine falcon was looked upon as very exciting sport4 ,as we followed the bank of the stream out flew a couple of kingfishers with straight and rapid flight2 we distinctly heard the shrill note these birds utter2 they flew about two hundred yards and lighted on a rail near the water's edge4 ,let us see if we can get a little nearer to them1 ,i said1 and then sit down and see what they will do4 ,papa1 said ,may1 is not the kingfisher a very beautiful bird1 and the most brightly coloured of all ,british birds8 ,yes1 it is2 its splendid colours remind one of the gorgeous plumage of tropical birds1 and we have no other ,british bird with such brilliant colours4 ,there1 did you see that8 one of the birds darted off the rail into the water4 ,i have no doubt he has caught a small fish2 and now he has lighted on the same rail1 and with my pocket telescope ,i can see him throw his head up and swallow some dainty morsel4 ,it is not at all an uncommon sight to see a kingfisher hover over the water after the manner of a kestril-hawk2 suddenly it will descend with the greatest rapidity and again emerge1 seldom failing to secure a fish for its dinner4 ,did you ever find a kingfisher's nest1 papa8 ,willy inquired4 ,yes2 some years ago ,i found one in a hole in a bank2 there were four eggs in it1 and ,i had to put my whole arm into the hole before ,i got at the nest1 which consisted of sand mixed with a great quantity of very small fish bones4 ,the eggs are very pretty1 having a delicate pink tinge1 the shell is thin1 and the form of the egg almost round4 ,but where1 asked ,jack1 do the little fish bones of the nest come from8 ,i think ,i have told you that many birds--hawks1 eagles1 owls1 shrikes1 c4--throw up from their crops the indigestible portions of their food4 ,it is not uncommon to find these on the ground in the course of one's rambles4 ,kingfishers possess this power2 they throw up the undigested fishbones1 and curiously enough1 as it would appear1 form them into a nest4 ,there is a kingfisher's nest in the ,british ,museum1 which ,i remember to have seen a few years ago4 ,it has been a disputed point whether the parent bird throws the fishbones up at random into the hole where she is going to lay1 or whether she forms them into a nest4 ,the nest in the ,british ,museum was secured at the expense of great patience and pains by the celebrated ornithologist and splendid draughtsman1 ,mr4 ,gould1 whose drawings you may one day see in the library of the museum at ,eyton4 ,this specimen1 if ,i remember right1 was of a flattened form and fully half an inch thick4 ,it is said that the kingfisher always selects a hole that has an upward slope1 so that1 though heavy rains may cause the water of the river bank to rise into the hole1 the eggs will be dry4 ,some naturalists have said that kingfishers do not make their own holes1 but use those already made by other animals4 ,mr4 ,gould1 however1 is of opinion that kingfishers drill their own holes4 ,the tunnels always slope upwards1 as ,i said2 at the further end of the tunnel is an oven-like chamber where the nest is made4 ,the fish-bone nest is thought by ,mr4 ,gould to be really a nest1 and intended to keep the eggs off the damp ground4 ,however1 there is difference of opinion on this point1 and ,i reserve my own4 ,we will see if we cannot find a kingfisher's nest some time this summer4 ,now1 ,may1 what little plant have you got hold of8 ,indeed ,i don't know1 papa1 but it is a very curious little plant2 ,i gathered it at the bottom of that hedge bank4 ,ah1 ,i know it well1 and a little favorite it is too2 it is the moschatell4 ,you see it is about five inches high1 with pale green flowers and leaves2 the flowers are arranged in heads of five each1 namely1 four on the side1 and one on the top2 it has a delicate musk-like odour1 very pleasant and refreshing4 ,take a few specimens home and put them in water with your primroses4 ,mamma1 ,i know1 is very fond of the pretty little moschatell4 ,oh1 papa1 exclaimed ,willy1 look at the bottom of this drain2 what is that strange-looking insect crawling slowly about at the bottom8 ,i see2 it is a water-scorpion1 a very common insect in these drains on the moors1--indeed1 it is common everywhere2 let us catch him and take him home for examination4 ,he is a queer-looking creature1 with a small head and pointed beak2 his forearms are something like lobster's claws2 his prevailing colour blackish-brown1 like the mud upon which he crawls2 his body is very flat1 and ends in two long stick-like projections2 underneath these horny covers of the creature may be seen his two wings4 ,he is an aquatic murderer2 inserting that pointed beak into the body of some other insect1 and holding his victim in his lobster-like forearms--oh6 fatal embrace--he sucks out the juices of the struggling prey4 ,kirby and ,spence say that some of the tribe of insects to which the water-scorpion belongs are so savage that they seem to love destruction for its own sake4 ,a water-scorpion which was put into a basin of water with several young tadpoles killed them all without attempting to eat one4 ,the tail projections1 ,i ought to tell you1 are connected with the insect's breathing2 they are protruded out of the water and conduct the air to the spiracles at the end of the body1 about which ,i must tell you more at another time4 ,the eggs of the water-scorpion ,i have frequently found2 they are of an oval form1 with seven long hair-like projections at one end4 ,but it is time to go home1 our walk to-day is over2 let us look forward to another holiday and another country ramble4 ,illustration ,,footnotes3 ,footnote ,a3 ',wild ,sports of the ,highlands1' p4 #acf4 ,,walk ,,ii4 ,,april ,we will walk to-day along the side of the canal bank as far as the aqueduct1 then take the ,duke's ,drive and home by ,lubstree ,park2 we shall find lots to see and to admire in the course of our ramble4 ,we notice plenty of those beautiful balls of green jelly 7,ophrydium versatile7 in the clear water of the canal which1 you know1 we see every spring4 ,these balls vary in size from that of a pea to that of ,jack's fist2 they are1 you see1 generally attached to some water-weed1 and consist of myriads of very minute creatures called infusoria1 which are imbedded in a mass of whitish jelly2 these animals can detach themselves from the jelly and swim freely about2 of course it requires a microscope to see the tiny green animalcules4 ,if we examine a single specimen under a high power of the microscope we shall see its shape1 which1 when fully extended1 is long and cylindrical1 having at one end a mouth surrounded1 as is usually the case in the infusoria1 by a circle of very fine hairs1 or cilia1 as they are called1 from the ,latin word cilium an eyelash2 the mouth opens into a long narrow channel2 the creature's throat1 which leads to its stomach2 towards the opposite extremity the animal tapers1 till it ends in an extremely long fine hair-like tail which is fixed in the jelly-like ball2 when the little creature prefers to swim freely about in the water it leaves its tail behind it1 unlike1 in this respect1 to little ,bo-peep's sheep6 ,these balls were once supposed to belong to the vegetable kingdom1 but there is no doubt about their animal nature4 ,oh6 papa1 what is that bird with a black head that flew from the side of the canal to the hedge8 said ,willy4 ,there1 don't you see it8 ,yes6 ,i see1 my boy1 it is the black-headed ,bunting or ,reed ,sparrow1 common on the sides of rivers1 canals1 and ponds4 ,the specimen you see on the hedge is a male bird1 the females are a little smaller and have not black heads4 ,see how beautifully contrasted are the deep-black head and white collar on the neck4 ,in the spring and summer these birds may be frequently seen1 male and female together2 in winter they associate with others of the finch tribe1 forming large flocks4 ,the nest is generally placed on the ground amongst the sedges and coarse grass2 the eggs1 which are four or five in number1 are laid in ,may and1 ,i believe1 a second brood sometimes is produced in ,july4 ,the nests of the ,reed-bunting are difficult to find1 at least1 ,i have seldom been successful4 ,you know how cunning the peewit is in trying to lead people away from its nest or young ones4 ,well1 some observers have remarked the same thing in the case of the reed-bunting4 ,one writer says1 ,walking last spring amongst some rushes growing near a river my attention was arrested by observing a black-headed bunting shuffling through the rushes and trailing along the ground1 as if one of her legs or wings was broken4 ,i followed her to see the result1 and she1 having led me to some considerable distance1 took wing1 no doubt much rejoiced on return to find her stratagems had been successful in preserving her young brood4 ,ha6 ha6 interrupted ,jack1 the gentleman was nicely deceived then4 ,no1 not entirely1 because he goes on to say he afterwards found the nest1 which had five young ones in it4 ,one thing more ,i ought to tell you2 not to confuse the reed-bunting with the reed-warbler1 a very different bird1 which very probably we may notice in to-day's ramble4 ,illustration3 ,,whirligig ,,beetle1 ,,magnified4 ,we now had another look into the canal1 and saw numerous little whirligig beetles1 performing their merry-go-rounds on the top of the water4 ,with what amazing rapidity they skim along1 to be sure6 ,some diving beneath the surface1 some resting on a water leaf4 ,if we catch one in our net and examine it more closely we shall see that1 in form1 it is like a miniature boat4 ,it seems surprising that these little whirligigs1 whirl-wigs1 or shiners1 as they are called1 should perform their rounds so closely together1 without sometimes coming into collision4 ,if you will look ever so long a time you will not see one animated boat run foul of another4 ,just think of a couple of hundred skaters on a small piece of ice playing at cros-stick4 ,oh6 would they not be constantly knocking one another over8 ,illustration3 ,,head ,,of ,,whirligig ,,beetle1 ,,magnified4 a4 ,mouth4 b1 c4 ,eye4 ,now look at ,mr4 ,whirligig's eyes1 you see each is separated into two parts by a division2 the one is on the upper part of the head and looks towards the sky1 the other is on the under part of the head and looks into the water4 ,now let us all keep quite still--the whirligigs rest4 ,now let us move--just look1 they see our motions and off they start on their merry-go-rounds4 ,it was with this upper part of the eye they saw us2 should some sly fish1 from below the surface of the water1 make a rush at one1 the beetle sees the enemy with his under eye and avoids him4 ,what have you caught now1 ,jack8 fish him out whatever it is4 ,oh6 a fresh-water mussel1 and a very fine specimen too2 there are plenty of these fellows in the canal all the way from here to ,newport4 ,are they good to eat1 papa8 asked ,willy4 ,i never tried one1 but1 from having often dissected specimens1 ,i should say they were as tough as the sole of a boot4 ,i never heard of anyone eating them4 ,these molluscs carry their eggs1 myriads in number1 within their gills4 ,the young1 at the time they are ejected1 are very curious little animals with triangular shells1 and1 oddly enough1 they will fasten upon the fins or tails of fish1 on which they will stick for some time1 but how long ,i do not know4 ,illustration3 ,,fry ,,of ,,swan-,,mussel1 ,,parasitic ,,on ,a ,,fish',s ,,fin4 ,illustration3 ,,fry ,,of ,,swan-,,mussel1 ,,highly ,,magnified4 ,this particular mollusc is known by the name of swan-mussel2 the young fry are sent into the water in ,april and ,may4 ,there is another kind of fresh-water mussel in rivers and streams1 called the pearl-mussel1 pearls being occasionally found in them4 ,i had one of these pearls once given me by a lad1 taken from a river in the ,isle of ,man4 ,i took it to a jeweller1 in ,liverpool1 who valued it at a guinea4 ,your uncle ,arthur1 to whom ,i gave it1 had it set in gold as a pin ,i wish1 said ,may1 who had listened to this part of the story with great attention1 ,i wish pearl-mussels would live in the canal1 it would be so nice to get the pearls out of them4 ,very few mussels are found to contain the pearls2 perhaps you might have to open many hundreds before you found a single pearl1 and ,i should not like to cause the death of so many harmless animals for the sake of a single pearl4 ,illustration3 ,,fresh-,,water ,,mussel4 ,here is another swan-mussel1 and1 just look1 papa1 said ,jack1 some other shells are fastened on it4 ,so there are2 it is a lot of the curious and pretty little zebra-mussel4 ,how prettily they are marked with zig-zag stripes of reddish brown1 especially the young specimens4 ,the name of mussel is better suited to these molluscs than to the large kinds upon which the zebras are often attached1 because1 like the salt water mussel you have often seen at ,new ,brighton1 they have the power of spinning1 what is called1 a byssus--here1 you see1 is the substance ,i mean--by which they fasten themselves to shells1 or to stones1 roots1 and other things4 ,illustration3 ,,zebra ,,mussel4--b4 ,,byssus4 ,there flies one of those pretty little birds1 the long-tailed titmouse2 it is common enough1 certainly1 but ,i never fail to notice several upon the hedges and poplar trees of the ,duke's drive4 ,there are several members of the titmouse family found in ,great ,britain2 let me count them4 ,first we have the great tit1 then the little blue-tit1 the long-tailed tit1 the cole tit1 the marsh1 the crested and the bearded tit4 ,how many does that make8 ,seven2 but the crested tit is very uncommon1 and the bearded tit does not occur in ,shropshire4 ,the other five are quite common and we shall1 ,i dare say1 be able to see all in the course of to-day's walk4 ,the long-tailed tit1 so called on account of the great length of the tail feathers1 is a very active1 lively little bird4 ,indeed1 activity and liveliness belong to all the tit family4 ,see how the little fellow flits from branch to branch1 seldom remaining long on one spot4 ,it is a very small bird1 almost the smallest ,british bird we have2 of course ,i am thinking of the tit's body and not taking into account its tail4 ,the skin is remarkably tender1 and thin as tissue paper4 ,like all the titmice1 the long-tailed tit feeds on insects and their larv4 ,i do not remember to have heard or seen this species tapping the bark of a tree with its beak1 as the great and the blue tit are frequently in the habit of doing1 but most probably they do the same4 ,what do they tap for1 papa8 asked ,may4 ,i suppose for the purpose of frightening the tiny insects1 which lurk under the bark1 from their hiding places1 when they quickly snap them up with their sharply-pointed bills and devour them4 ,is not this the tit which the people about here call a bottle tit1 and which makes a very beautiful nest8 asked ,willy4 ,yes1 the nest is indeed a very pretty object1 and one that you would never1 ,i think1 confuse with the nest of any other bird4 ,the outside is formed of that white-coloured lichen1 so pretty and so common1 and moss1 and if you were to put your finger1 ,may1 into the inside1 which is full of the softest feathers1 you would say it was as nice as your own muff4 ,the nest is oval1 with a hole at the side4 ,i believe that sometimes two holes exist1 but ,i have never seen two in a nest4 ,the eggs are very small1 and are white with a few lilac spots4 ,as many as a dozen or more are sometimes found in a nest4 ,illustration3 ,,long-,,tailed ,,tit4 ,the little blue-tit1 which has just fled across our path is a very pretty active bird and common everywhere1 in lanes1 woods1 and gardens4 ,the blue-tit makes its nest in a wall or a hole in a tree and lays about nine or ten pretty little spotted eggs4 ,how often ,i remember1 when ,i was a boy1 to have been bitten rather sharply by this little bird into whose nest ,i had placed my hand2 ,i can fancy ,i hear the snake-like hissing which the blue-tit utters when some rude hand invades its home4 ,its food consists of various kinds of insects and insect larv1 which it finds on the bark of trees and in fruit buds4 ,i think it does much good by destroying numbers of injurious insects1 though gardeners and others destroy this bird1 because they say it harms the fruit buds4 ,look at that little sprightly fellow1 how restless he is2 in what curious attitudes he puts himself on yonder branch4 ,hark6 you hear him tapping quite distinctly4 ,besides insects1 blue-tit does not object to make a meal of dead mice or rats4 ,mr4 ,st4 ,john tells us that a blue-tomtit once took up his abode in the drawing-room1 having been first attracted there by the house flies which crawl on the window4 ,these he was most active in searching for and catching1 inserting his little bill into every corner and crevice and detecting every fly which had escaped the brush of the housemaid4 ,he soon became more bold and came down to pick up crumbs which the children placed for him on the table1 looking up into ,mr4 ,st4 ,john's face without the least apparent fear4 ,boys sometimes call the little blue-tit ,billy ,biter1 no doubt from personal experience of the sharpness of ,mr4 ,tit's beak4 ,the great tit which we can see under the yew tree in our garden1 almost any hour of the day1 is very common in the neighbourhood1 and ,i dare say if we look well about us during our walk we shall see some to-day4 ,oh6 papa1 exclaimed ,willy1 there are some birds on the towing-path of the canal1 about sixty yards off2 they seem to be breaking something with their beaks by knocking it against the ground2 just look4 ,yes1 they are thrushes1 and ,i can tell you what they are doing and what we shall find when we come up to the spot4 ,we shall see several broken snail shells 7,helix71 which the thrushes find on the grassy slopes of the canal bank1 and then bring up to the path in order to get at the animals inside the shells by breaking them against the hard ground and stones4 ,there6 as ,i told you1 you see at least a dozen broken snail shells4 ,i am sure the thrushes do a great deal of good by destroying both snails and young slugs1 and it is a pity their labours are not more appreciated than they are4 ,lads in the village1 and great grown men from the collieries1 are continually hunting for the nests1 eggs1 or young of thrushes1 and many other useful birds1 which they wantonly destroy4 ,now we get on the ,duke's ,drive1 and there1 on a branch of a poplar tree1 ,i see the great tit4 ,look at him2 he is the king of the titmice1 and he seems to know it4 ,he is a restless fellow1 like tits in general4 ,look at his black head and breast1 white cheeks and greenish back4 ,now1 by one of his hooked claws1 he hangs suspended from a branch2 now again he is clinging by both legs2 see how busy he is1 examining the leaves and bark in search for insects4 ,but ,major ,tit is a bit of a tyrant sometimes and uses that sharp short straight bill of his with deadly effect upon some of his feathered companions1 on whose heads he beats repeated blows till he cracks the skulls and eats the brains6 ,the marsh-tit and the cole-tit are pretty common in this neighbourhood1 we may often notice them in our walks4 ,if ,willy were to get over the hedge with his net and dip it amongst the weeds of the pool1 ,i dare say he will succeed in catching a few water-insects1 which he can put in his bottle and bring to me4 ,of course the boy was delighted at the idea of dabbling with his net in the water--boys generally get immense fun from such amusement1 and their clothes frequently not a little dirt4 ,a weedy pond is a grand place for naturalists1 and various are the beautiful and strange forms of animal life which are found there4 ,dipping amongst the duckweed and water-crowfoot is always attended with numerous captures1 and ,willy's bottle was soon full of active little creatures4 ,let us see what it contains4 ,a large beetle is very conspicuous amongst the contents1 now rushing to the top of the water1 now sinking to the bottom1 scattering far and wide the tiny water-fleas1 and other little creatures by the strong and rapid movements of his swimming legs4 ,this is the great water beetle2 we will sit down on this clump of poplar tree by the side of the road1 and take the beetle out and examine him2 we must take care he does not bite our fingers as we hold him1 for his jaws are powerful and sharp4 ,mr4 ,dyticus1 for that is his learned name--from a ,greek word which means fond of diving--is one of the most voracious of water-insects1 but let us first examine his form4 ,you see it is well adapted for the kind of life the beetle leads2 look at that long oar-shaped pair of feet1 what a broad fringe of hairs besets them1 how admirably fitted they are for swimming2 the wing-covers are smooth and glossy1 without any furrows2 by this ,i know the specimen to be a male1 for the wing-covers of the female are furrowed4 ,the structure of the forefeet is very curious2 you observe its under portion forms a broad circular shield1 covered with a number of sucking-cups1 two or three being much larger than the rest2 by means of these sucking-cups the beetle can attach itself securely to any object it wishes4 ,the wings are large and strong1 and situated1 as in all the beetle tribe1 under the horny wing-covers4 ,i will put this bit of stick near his mouth2 there1 ,jack1 you see his strong jaws1 and great use he can make of them ,i can tell you4 ,if ,willy were to put one of these beetles into his aquarium with his favourite sticklebacks1 he would soon have cause to lament the untimely loss of some of them2 woe betide the unfortunate fish or newt that is once caught by the strong jaws of this fresh-water tyrant6 ,i have seen ,mr4 ,dyticus rush upon a full-grown newt1 and no twistings and writhings could free the victim from the fatal embrace4 ,they will attack young gold and silver fish1 and ,mr4 ,frank ,buckland has told us of the sad havoc these water-beetles do to young salmon1 as witnessed by himself in a pond in ,ireland4 ,the forefeet you see are strong but small2 the beetle uses them as claws in seizing its prey and conveying it to the mouth4 ,a young and tender fish1 you can easily imagine1 ,mr4 ,dyticus would very readily devour1 but he will attack beetles as large and even larger than himself1 seizing them on the under side where the head joins the body1 the only soft place in a beetle4 ,dr4 ,burmeister1 a naturalist who paid great attention to insects1 tells us that he once kept a beetle related to the great water-beetle1 and saw it devour two frogs in the space of forty hours4 ,after the eggs are laid1 which always takes place in the water1 the larv are hatched in about a fortnight4 ,in time--,i do not know how long--these larv grow to the size of about two inches in length1 and queer fellows they are1 and very voracious and formidable-looking4 ,now1 ,willy1 lend me your net1 and ,i dare say we shall soon secure a specimen4 ,what have we here8 how the pond swarms with water-fleas6 ,oh6 here is a treasure6 ,what can it be8 a long animated thread of glass--we will put it into a bottle by itself and ,i will tell you about it afterwards4 ,splash goes the net again1 but no water-beetle larv4 ,never mind2 what does the child's songbook say-- ,if at once you don't succeed1 ,try1 try1 try again4 ,illustration3 ,,great ,,water-,,beetle1 ,,larva ,,and ,,pupa4 ,a capital little verse to remember1 so we will try again2 and there now we are rewarded by the capture of a dyticus larva--a creature with a long body--in some respects reminding one of a shrimp4 ,oh6 look at his jaws1 how wide he opens them6 ,you see that the last segment of the body is provided with a long pair of bristly tails1 by means of which the creature can suspend itself at the top of the water4 ,i have often kept specimens of these larv in vessels of water and noticed their predaceous habits2 they feed on the larv of other water insects1 but are not able to destroy fish1 not being furnished with jaws or bodies nearly so strong as the perfect insect itself possesses4 ,when the larva wishes to turn into its pupa state1 it makes a round hole in the bank of the pond it inhabits1 and there undergoes its change1 turning into a full-grown beetle in about three weeks' time4 ,papa1 said ,willy1 ,i have often caught beetles that remind me of the great water-beetle1 but they are not so large2 what are they8 ,they belong to the same family as the great water-beetles1 and are called ,colymbetes1 ,acilius1 ,cybister2 ,i do not know that they have any ,english names4 ,come1 we have dabbled in this pond long enough for the present1 let us proceed on our walk4 ,well1 but1 papa1 said ,may1 you have not told us what that long worm-like creature is in the separate bottle2 do let us look at it again4 ,oh6 really it is a curious creature1 why it is as transparent as glass1 now it jerks itself about1 now it floats without motion in mid-water4 ,what is it8 ,i am inclined to think1 said ,willy1 judging from its wriggling1 jerking motions that it must be the larva of some kind of gnat4 ,right again1 my boy1 it is the larva of a gnat1 and one known to naturalists by the name of ,corethra2 you see there are eleven divisions or segments in the body2 the head is of strange form1 and near the mouth are two hooked arms which spring from the middle of the forehead and bend down in front of the mouth2 with these weapons the ,corethra larva seizes its prey and crushes it between two rows of sharp spikes placed under the mouth2 after being bruised and mangled by this apparatus the prey is ready to be swallowed4 ,illustration3 ,,corethra ,,larva1 ,,magnified4 ,but what1 asked ,jack1 are those four curious black bodies2 one pair near the head1 the other pair near the tail of the animal8 ,they are air-sacs1 and are connected with the breathing or respiration of the larv4 ,some have supposed that they serve the same office as the swimming bladder of certain fish1 which being compressed or dilated at will enables the creature to remain still in mid-water or to rise or sink in it4 ,after a time the larva changes to a pupa1 in which state it lives without eating for a few days1 and then turns into a gnat4 ,we now proceed on our walk and come to a part of the road which has a plantation on either side2 we see a little active creature crossing the road and at once recognise a weasel4 ,let us keep quite still and silent1 and we shall1 ,i dare say1 have an opportunity of watching it for a short time4 ,just look at him6 how nimbly the little creature runs along2 now he stops and raises his head as if listening for something1 now off he starts again2 he is evidently hunting1 and probably is on the scent of a young rabbit1 rat1 or field-mouse4 ,ah6 see he has caught something on the grass near the hedge2 what has he got in his mouth8 it is a small rat1 ,i think2 now he throws his flexible body over it and gives it one or two bites4 ,now1 ,jack1 run up and catch him4 ,ah6 he is off like a shot2 you must not think to catch a weasel asleep4 ,i often see these little animals in my rambles1 and always stop to witness their extraordinary activity4 ,weasels will sometimes climb trees and surprise some unfortunate bird on her nest2 they are fond of eggs1 and a bird's young brood are very dainty morsels2 they will also eat moles and are sometimes caught in mole-traps4 ,an excellent observer mentions a case of a mole-trap having been found many years ago with two weasels in it2 they had been hunting in the mole's runs1 had come in opposite directions1 and by a curious coincidence1 must have both sprung the trap at the same instant4 ,weasels are generally classed as vermin and killed on all possible occasions2 ,i think it is often a mistake to destroy them2 no doubt they will occasionally catch a young rabbit or a leveret or suck a few partridges' eggs1 but the common food of the weasel consists of such small animals as mice1 moles1 rats1 small birds4 ,in wheat or other grain ricks1 they ought to be encouraged1 as they enter them for the sake of the rats and mice they find there4 ,i have been told by a friend that in some parts of ,wales the farmers look upon the weasel as a friend1 in consideration of the destruction it causes to mice and rats4 ,a gentleman living near ,corwen killed a weasel1 and expected to receive the thanks of the farmer on whose land it had been killed2 he was surprised to find that the farmer was by no means grateful4 ,in this respect ,i think the ,welsh farmers are wiser than the ,english ones4 ,hawks sometimes prey upon weasels4 ,illustration3 ,,stoat ,,and ,,eggs4 ,mr4 ,bell tells a story of a gentleman who was riding over his grounds1 once having seen a kite pounce upon some object on the ground and rise with it in his talons4 ,in a few moments the kite began to show signs of great uneasiness1 rising rapidly in the air1 or as quickly falling1 and wheeling irregularly round1 whilst it was evidently trying to force some hurtful thing from it with its feet4 ,after a short but sharp contest the kite fell suddenly to the ground1 not far from where the gentleman was watching the proceeding4 ,on riding up to the spot pop goes the weasel1 none the worse for his arial journey1 but the kite was dead1 for the weasel had eaten a hole under the wing4 ,the weasel makes its nest in a bank or in loosely-constructed stone walls2 three or four young ones are generally produced4 ,some years ago ,i remember seeing a mother-weasel and three young playing about on a bank4 ,it was a most interesting sight4 ,the weasel is much smaller than the stoat1 and you can tell it at once by its tail1 which is entirely red2 that of the stoat has a black tip4 ,but it is getting late and we must hasten home4 ,illustration ,,walk ,,iii4 ,,may4 ,to-day we will go and hunt for sticklebacks' nests2 as it is calm ,i think we shall have very little trouble in finding a few2 a calm day should always be chosen1 because to find the nests of these little fish it is necessary to have very sharp eyes1 and to look very closely1 and you know if there is much wind the water is ruffled1 and then it is not easy to see objects in it4 ,let us start off1 then1 with bait-can1 canvass-net1 and two or three large-mouthed bottles1 to that small1 clear1 shallow pond in ,mr4 ,jervis's field1 and see if we can bring home a few fish and eggs4 ,it will be great fun1 said ,willy1 and when we have caught the little fish we will bring them home and put them in my aquarium4 ,there are three species of sticklebacks found in this country1 the three-spined1 the ten-spined1 and the fifteen-spined--this last inhabits salt water4 ,all three build nests1 and show great care for their little brood4 ,the nests of the three-spined species are those most generally known1 though ,i dare say1 if we search carefully in the drains on the moors1 we shall be successful in finding a nest of the ten-spined fellow1 or tinker1 as he is sometimes called4 ,illustration3 ,,three-,,spined ,,stickleback ,,and ,,nest4 ,here we are at the pond1 how clear it is1 and how beautifully green are the few patches of star-wort in the water6 ,as the grass is quite dry we can all sit down so as to get our eyes as near to the water as possible2 never mind a few crawling ants1 ,may2 if they bite you1 ,i shall not feel it4 ,ah6 do you see that little fellow with crimson breast and eyes like emeralds8 ,he sees us1 for look how disturbed he seems2 now he darts away and hides under a weed1 but soon returns to the same spot2 it is pretty certain he has a nest close by4 ,i will put my walking-stick into the water near him4 ,well1 actually1 the brave little fellow is not the least frightened2 see1 he bunts his nose against the stick1 and is very angry2 he is afraid of some danger to his nest--this makes him so bold4 ,now ,i have made out where the nest is1 it is close under him2 do you see a few small holes in the mud at the bottom of the water8 ,no1 you don't see anything2 well1 then1 give me my stick and ,i will point them out4 ,there now1 do you see what ,i mean8 ,yes1 you do2 that is all right4 ,let us get the nest out of the water1 said ,jack4 ,have patience2 let us watch what the fish is doing2 see1 he is busy fanning away with his tiny fins directly over the nest4 ,what is he doing that for8 said ,willy4 ,the quick movements of his fins bring fresh currents of water to the eggs or little fry that may be within4 ,ah6 did you see that8 another fish came near the nest2 how furiously our brave soldier charged him2 how quickly the intruder retired6 ,i do not think he will dare to approach so near again for a long time1 for those sharp spines on the under side of the soldier are like a couple of bayonets and can inflict serious wounds4 ,let us leave this nest for a time and try to find some more4 ,now that you have once seen a nest1 you will not have much difficulty in finding others4 ,willy soon found another nest2 just look1 he said1 there are a lot of the tiniest little things close to the nest4 ,yes1 indeed1 so there are2 the eggs have hatched1 and these are the little fry2 there is ,father ,stickles quite proud of his numerous family1 and quite ready to fight for them should any enemy be rash enough to intrude1 for you must know that sticklebacks1 like many other fish1 do not object to eat the young fry of their neighbours1 and if the parent there--it is the male only that is the protector--were to be removed1 a hungry pack of other sticklebacks would crowd around and make sad havoc amongst that happy little family4 ,i remember some years ago having once taken a father stickleback away from his nest1 and1 after putting him in my collecting bottle1 ,i sat down to watch the result4 ,soon an invading army of other sticklebacks approached and attacked the nest for the purpose of getting at the clusters of eggs it contained4 ,they pulled it about sadly1 till ,i began to be sorry for what ,i had done4 ,i returned the captive-parent to the water2 at first he hardly knew where he was1 and seemed confused1 the result1 no doubt1 of his confinement in the bottle2 but he was not long in coming to himself--he remembered his nest and the treasures it contained2 he saw that devastating army all around it1 and1 summoning all his courage1 the soldier-parent began an attack1 now rushing at one and now at another enemy1 till he was left alone on the battle-field1 having thus gained1 single-handed1 a glorious victory indeed4 ,well1 we will take this one home1 with nest and eggs it contains4 ,you see the nest is a mass of tangled grass roots and other weeds2 now that it is out of the water it is a shapeless mass4 ,however1 here is a cluster of pinkish eggs1 and if you look closely you will see two little specks in each egg2 so that the fish is being formed1 for these are the little thing's eyes4 ,you can see1 too1 the tiny things jerking their tails about every now and then4 ,it is most interesting to watch the care the parent takes of his little ones when hatched4 ,some few years ago ,i put a male stickleback in a basin of water in charge of his nest4 ,when the young ones were hatched it was most curious to notice his anxiety for their welfare4 ,of course young sticklebacks1 like young children1 are of an inquisitive turn of mind1 and apt to play truant too occasionally2 but should some little fellow wander too far from the nest1 ,father ,stickles hurries after him1 takes the little truant in his mouth1 and spits him out right over the nest4 ,this ,i repeatedly witnessed myself1 and ,i have no doubt you will be able to see the same thing yourselves4 ,are not sticklebacks quarrelsome little fish8 asked ,willy4 ,yes1 they are very fond of fighting1 and they are so bold that they do not fear any enemy1 whatever his size4 ,i once kept a small pike1 about ten inches long1 in an aquarium1 into which ,i also introduced five or six sticklebacks4 ,i suppose the pike did not much like the look of the prickles or spines1 for he did not eat the fish4 ,once ,i saw him make the attempt1 but after getting ,master ,stickles into his mouth1 he quickly threw him out again1 not relishing1 ,i suppose1 the sauce piquante of the spines4 ,the sticklebacks were really masters2 they tormented ,mr4 ,pike dreadfully2 first one would take a bite at his tail1 and then another1 till the tail had a woful expression indeed2 so ,i turned the pike into a pool of water1 and ,i dare say the retail business has long ere this been completed4 ,are there any other kinds of fish1 asked ,willy1 that make nests and take care of their young ones like the three species of sticklebacks8 ,yes1 there are several kinds of fish which do so1 but no other ,british fresh-water kinds1 ,i believe4 ,there is the salt-water ,lumpsucker1 a fish of strange form and brilliant colour--you know the pickled specimen in my study--whose young soon after birth fix themselves to the sides and on the back of their male parent1 who sails1 thus loaded1 away to deeper and more safe retreats4 ,there are the long pipe-fishes1 the males of which possess each a singular pouch on the tail2 in this the eggs of the female are deposited and matured2 the young ones occasionally leave their strange abode1 and after swimming about for a time return to it again1 reminding us in this respect of the kangaroos and opossums amongst mammalia4 ,there are also fish which inhabit the rivers of ,demerara which make nests and show great attachment to their young ones1 and ,i dare say several other fish will be found to do the same4 ,illustration3 ,,snail ,,leech4 ,oh6 papa1 do look here2 as ,i was turning over this bit of flat tile ,i saw in the water ,i found a creature something like a leech1 and on raising it up ,i saw what looks like a quantity of the animal's eggs1 and she seems to be sitting upon them as a hen upon her eggs4 ,all right1 ,jack2 let me look1 ,i dare say it is one of the snail-leeches4 ,yes1 to be sure it is1 and here are the eggs which the creature carefully covers with her body1 and upon which she will sit till the young ones are formed2 the small brood1 sometimes one hundred and fifty or more in number1 then attach themselves to the under surface of the parent1 and are carried about wherever she goes4 ,there are various species of this interesting family2 all are inhabitants of fresh water2 some incubate or sit upon their eggs1 others carry them about in a hollow formed by the contraction of the sides4 ,they have a long tubular proboscis1 by means of which they suck out the juices of pond-snails and other water creatures4 ,these snail-leeches move along in the same way as the common horse-leech and the medicinal leech1 namely1 by fixing the head-part on to the surface of some substance in the water and then drawing the hinder part up to it2 they then extend the head-portion and fix it upon another spot1 again drawing up the other extremity4 ,but the leeches1 properly so called1 have all red blood2 that of the snail-leeches is colourless4 ,is the leech used to bleed people when they are ill ever found in the ponds of this country8 asked ,willy4 ,i believe it is rarely met with now-a-days2 most of the leeches used in medicine are imported from ,spain1 ,hungary1 the south of ,france1 and ,algeria2 many millions are brought every year to this country4 ,the medicinal leech1 was1 however1 once pretty common in the lakes and pools of the north of ,england4 ,the poet ,wordsworth introduces us to an old leech-gatherer lamenting the scarcity of the animals in the following lines3 ,he with a smile did then his words repeat ,and said that gathering leeches far and wide ,he travelled2 stirring thus about his feet ,the waters of the pool where they abide4 ,once ,i could meet with them on every side2 ,but they have dwindled long by slow decay2 ,yet still ,i persevere and find them where ,i may4 ,this sonnet was written in #ahjg1 and when we consider the immense numbers used in medicine1 and the utter neglect of leech culture in this country1 we shall cease to wonder that native leeches are very scarce4 ,it is said that four only of the principal dealers in ,london import every year more than seven million leeches4 ,the annual demand in ,france was estimated in #ahdf to be from twenty to thirty millions2 ,paris requiring three millions a year4 ,i should be very sorry1 papa1 said ,jack1 to walk about like the old man in the lines you quoted just now1 with bare legs in the water1 making them a bait for leeches4 ,ugh6 it is horrible to think of2 they must suck a good deal of blood from the man's legs4 ,there is nothing like being used to a thing1 and when you remember that many people derive their whole support from the leeches they gather1 you will not wonder that they do not fear a few leech bites4 ,i do not suppose they lose much blood2 no doubt the gatherers pick them up pretty quickly and put them into their collecting cases2 besides the chief flow of blood from a leech-bite occurs after the leech has been removed2 the flow is encouraged by the application of warm fomentations1 but the cold water of a pool would stop the flow of blood in the case of the man's legs4 ,we ought to be thankful for the existence of an animal which is of such immense service to mankind4 ,i suppose it was the appreciation of their value in medicine that induced ,french ladies1 about forty-five years ago1 to regard leeches with especial favour4 ,many people remember the ,cochin-,china mania and the sea-anemone mania1 but1 ,may1 what will young ladies say to the fact that in #ahbd there existed in ,france a mania for leeches8 ,the most enthusiastic admirer of ,cochin fowls or sea-anemones would never have thought of carrying her admiration of her pets so high as to wear on her dress figures of these animals2 but we learn from a ,french writer that there might have been seen at that period elegant ladies wearing dresses la ,broussais on the trimming of which were imitations of leeches6 ,broussais1 you must know1 was a physician1 no doubt a fashionable ladies' doctor1 and a great patron of leeches4 ,what1 asked ,willy1 are the leeches ,i often find in the drains on the moors and in other places8 ,i have no doubt you often find these kinds2 there is a small leech1 the commonest of all1 called ,nephelis1 whose little oval cocoons are so frequent on the under sides of stones in the water and on water plants4 ,i will soon find a few cocoons2 look here1 under this bit of brick tile are five or six2 they now contain eggs1 as ,i will show you1 by slitting open the case with my penknife4 ,these gradually change to young leeches1 which find their way out of the cocoon through one or other of the two openings at either end4 ,then there is the horse leech1 and another very similar to it1 called ,aulastoma1 which means having a mouth as wide as a hall2 it has no ,english name1 but we may give it one if you like1 and call it the hall-mouthed leech4 ,its mouth is capable of great stretching1 and can readily take in huge earthworms nearly the size of itself4 ,i once witnessed a curious sight--,i put a couple of hall-mouths into a glass vessel of water1 and introduced also a great fat lob-worm2 each leech seized the worm1 the one took the head1 the other the tail4 ,as the worm got gradually swallowed the two leeches came to very close quarters1 and at last touched4 ,what was to happen8 would they twist and writhe about and break the worm1 and so share the grub between them8 ,no2 the one fellow quickly proceeded to swallow his antagonist4 ,i watched him carefully1 and he succeeded in getting down the red lane about an inch of his companion2 but whether he did not like the taste1 or whether he had qualms of conscience for taking such unfair advantage of a near relation1 ,i know not2 after a few minutes the partly swallowed leech made his appearance again1 apparently none the worse for his temporary sojourn in the throat of his companion4 ,this leech may be seen sometimes on damp earth in search of its favorite earthworms4 ,i should mention also that another worm-devouring leech has lately been found in this country2 it is known by the name of ,trocheta1 called after a ,french naturalist1 ,du ,trochet1 who first described it4 ,i dare say if we look carefully we shall find it in this neighbourhood4 ,all these leeches lay cocoons in which the young are developed4 ,let us leave the pool and take our little fish with us1 taking care not to shake the can more than we can help4 ,we are now in the fields2 the grass is beautifully green after the late rain4 ,look at that crab tree in the hedge2 did you ever see such a magnificent mass of blossom8 ,the hawthorn hedges are loaded with ,may-buds2 what a show of ,may there will be in a fortnight's time4 ,let us gather a sprig of crab blossom and a few bits of ,may-bud1 and see if we cannot gather a pretty handful of wild flowers for ,may to take home to mamma4 ,here are a few cowslips with their drooping golden bells and delicious scent2 ,i am afraid we shall not find enough to make a cowslip ball4 ,here is cuckoo-flower1 which1 as old ,gerarde says1 doth flower in ,april and ,maie1 when the cuckoo doth begin her pleasant notes without stammering4 ,old ,gerarde1 by the way1 ought to have said his pleasant notes1 for it is the male bird alone that cries cuckoo4 ,its flowers are of a delicate pale purple when at the height of its beauty2 they become nearly white when on the wane4 ,ladies' smock is another name for this harbinger of ,spring2 ,shakespeare speaks of it-- ,the daisies pied and violets blue1 ,and lady-smocks all silver white4 ,here is blue speedwell and the delicately pencilled stitchwort with its pure snow-white blossoms and delicate green leaves4 ,it is a lovely ,spring flower and very common amongst the grass of every hedgerow4 ,we will pluck a few bits2 how brittle the stem is4 ,what curious ideas our ancestors must have had2 fancy calling this plant all-bones6 ,its name1 stitchwort1 no doubt alludes to the plant's supposed virtue in cases of stitches in the side4 ,the following lines of ,calder ,campbell on ,spring flowers ,i am sure you will think very pretty3 ,the buds are green on the ,linden tree1 ,and flowers are bursting on the lea2 ,there is the daisy1 so prim and white1 ,with its golden eye and its fringes bright2 ,and here is the golden buttercup1 ,like a miser's chest with the gold heap'd up2 ,and the stitchwort with its pearly star1 ,seen on the hedgebank from afar2 ,and there is the primrose1 sweet1 though wan1 ,and the cowslip dear to the ortolan1 ,that sucks its morning draught of dew ,from the drooping curls of the harebell blue4 ,here is more ,may-flower or marsh marigold2 let us take some2 it will make a bright show in our wildflower cluster4 ,we will put a sprig or two of copper beech1 with its rich brown leaves1 which we can get from the garden1 two bits of lilac1 purple and white2 and though the nosegay is common1 it is still very beautiful1 and mamma will put it in her best vase and give it a place in the drawing-room for those to admire who have hearts to admire the wild gifts of ,nature4 ,why1 ,jacko1 what are you grubbing up in that ditch8 ,i am not grubbing up anything1 said ,jacko1 but here are a lot of black creatures1 lively enough when you stir them up2 ,i suppose they must be tadpoles4 ,tadpoles1 ,jack1 unquestionably1 but are they the young of the toad or the frog8 ,let me see4 ,well1 it is not easy to say which in their present stage1 a tadpole is so like a tadpole1 whether the young of frog or toad4 ,if you had found the eggs1 which you might have done earlier in the year1 there would have been no difficulty in saying whether they belonged to a toad or a frog2 for the toad lays its black eggs imbedded in a long clear jelly-like line1 whereas the frog's eggs are imbedded in a shapeless mass of jelly4 ,look at some of these little black fellows1 as black as niggers2 there is a delicate fringe on each side of the head2 these are the creature's gills and answer the same purpose as the gills in a fish2 the blood circulates through them1 and is made fresh and pure by the action of the air contained in the water4 ,in this state the tadpole is more of a fish than a reptile2 in a short time1 however1 these gills will be lost and then the tadpole can no longer breathe the air of the water1 but must come to the surface to take in air from the atmosphere4 ,by-and-by we should see two small tubercles appear near the root of the tail2 these are the first indications of hind-legs4 ,meanwhile the forelegs are budding forth1 and in time would assume their distinct forms4 ,the changes of the tadpole1 when it is a fish1 to a frog1 when it becomes a reptile1 are most curious and instructive4 ,if you have never seen the circulation of blood in a tadpole's tail1 you have something to look forward to1 and ,i will promise to show it you some day under the microscope4 ,what kind of frog1 ,willy asked1 do they eat in ,france8 because you know the ,french eat frogs4 ,the frog which the ,french eat is a different species from our common frog1 though ,i dare say our common frog would be quite as good4 ,the edible frog has been several times found in this country1 and ,mr4 ,eyton says that during the time a detachment of the ,french were prisoners at ,wellington1 they were highly delighted to find their old friend the edible frog in the wild moors here4 ,i have never myself seen any other than the common frog in this neighbourhood4 ,you may think a frog would make a curious sort of pet1 but a gentleman once kept a frog for several years quite domesticated4 ,it made its appearance in an underground kitchen at ,kingston on the banks of the ,thames4 ,the servants1 wonderful to say1 showed him kindness and gave him food2 one would rather have expected that they would have uttered loud shrieks of terror and fainted away at the unexpected sight4 ,curiously enough1 during the winter seasons1 when frogs as a rule are lying asleep at the bottom of a pool1 this frog used to come out of his hole and seek a snug place near the kitchen fire1 where he would continue to bask and enjoy himself till the servants retired to rest4 ,and more curious still1 this frog got remarkably fond of a favourite old cat1 and used to nestle under the warm fur of ,mrs4 ,pussy1 she in the mean time showing she did not in the least object to ,mr4 ,frog's presence4 ,both frogs and toads do a great deal of good by destroying quantities of slugs and injurious insects2 they are1 moreover1 perfectly harmless4 ,some ignorant people1 who love to destroy everything1 insist on killing frogs and toads2 they say they eat the strawberries in their gardens4 ,did you ever examine a frog's or a toad's tongue1 ,willy8 ,you never did2 then ,i hope the next frog you catch you will carefully open his mouth--treat him as if you loved him1 as honest ,isaac ,walton says--and give me some short account of the structure of a frog's tongue4 ,all right1 papa1 said ,willy1 ,i will bear the matter in mind4 ,it makes me laugh1 though1 to think of my examining a frog's tongue2 still ,i wonder what it is like1 and ,i wish ,i could at once catch a frog to see2 but we are now again near home1 and ,i must wait for another walk4 ,illustration ,,walk ,,iv4 ,,may4 ,papa1 said ,willy1 you once told me of a very beautiful little creature1 almost too small to be seen by the naked eye1 that lives in water1 and builds its house out of the small particles of clay or mud that float therein4 ,the bricks are not of the shape of house bricks1 but quite round4 ,do you not think we can find some of these animals in the course of to-day's walk8 ,i forget the name of the creature4 ,i know what you mean2 you are speaking of a microscopic animal called ,melicerta4 ,oh1 yes1 that is its name1 now ,i remember4 ,i have no doubt we shall be able to obtain specimens from the canal2 so we will walk along the bank for a short distance and then get into the fields again4 ,we must take with us a clear wide-mouthed bottle1 and we shall soon see whether we have captured any specimens4 ,these exquisite little creatures attach themselves to the leaves and stems of water-plants2 they are most readily seen on the finely cut leaves of the water-buttercup or spiked milfoil4 ,the way to proceed is to place a tuft of this plant in the bottle and to hold it up to the light1 and we shall soon see whether any ,melicert are there4 ,illustration3 ,,melicerta ,,on ,,weed4 ,here is plenty of water-buttercup--a very interesting plant by-the-bye1 and one which is subject to much variation2 for when it grows in swiftly flowing water all the leaves are very long and hair-like1 but in still water there are flattened leaves as well1 and the hair-like leaves are not nearly so long4 ,you see it is now in flower2 a beautiful white mass it forms in small still ponds4 ,well1 but1 papa1 said ,may1 the flowers are white1 and ,i thought all buttercups were yellow4 ,nearly all the buttercups have yellow flowers1 but there are two ,british species which have white blossoms1 namely1 this one and the little ivy-leaved buttercup1 or crowfoot1 as it is often called1 which is found either in the water or near the water's edge4 ,though the ivy-leaved crowfoot is generally regarded as a species1 ,i think it is only a variety of the one we are now looking at4 ,now ,i fish a plant out with my stick and nip off a tuft of hair-like leaves and pop it into the bottle4 ,have ,i anything here8 ,no doubt the microscope would show countless numbers of minute animalcules1 but ,i detect no ,melicert4 ,let us try again4 ,i nip off another tuft4 ,there6 do you see one1 two1 three1 four little things sticking almost at right angles to some of the leaves8 ,no1 you see nothing8 ,well1 perhaps not1 for your eyes are not so accustomed to these things as mine are1 but ,i will take out my pocket lens2 there1 surely you see that one close to the side of the bottle1 do you not8 ,oh yes1 you see what ,i mean2 well1 that is the case or house of a ,melicerta1 which animal ,i will describe to you1 and when we get home we will look at it under the microscope4 ,the case is about the twelfth part of an inch long and about the thickness of a horsehair1 and of a reddish colour generally1 though the colour depends on the nature of the material out of which the case is made4 ,let us sit down and put the bottle on this large stone1 and ,i dare say some of the creatures will soon show their heads at the top of the tubes1 for they are all indoors now2 the disturbance caused in breaking off the bit of weed and putting it in the bottle has alarmed the ,melicert1 and very quickly they sunk within their houses of clay4 ,illustration3 ,,melicerta1 ,,on ,,weed1 ,,magnified4 ,now ,i see one fellow slowly appearing at the top1 after the manner of a chimney-sweeper1 but certainly in a much more elegant form4 ,there6 it has unfolded four flower-like expansions1 of which the uppermost are much the largest4 ,the animal shows only the upper part of its body1 and ,i can see with my pocket lens that it is somewhat transparent and whitish4 ,but my lens has not sufficient magnifying power to reveal more1 so ,i must tell you what ,i have seen of ,melicerta under my compound microscope4 ,each of these four leaf-like lobes or expansions is surrounded with very minute hairs1 which can move with great rapidity in all directions2 these you will remember are called cilia1 from the resemblance to eyelashes1 for which cilia is the ,latin word4 ,the motion caused by these numerous cilia lashing the water brings currents containing particles of food for the ,melicerta1 and materials for his house4 ,mr4 ,melicerta is at once brick-maker1 mason1 and architect1 and fabricates as pretty a tower as it is easy to conceive4 ,the mouth is situated between the two large leaflets1 and leads to a narrow throat1 in which are the curious jaws and teeth of the animal4 ,below the jaws are the stomach and intestine2 so you see the ,melicerta1 though so minute a creature1 has a complex structure4 ,you said1 papa1 remarked ,may1 that the little creature makes its own tube2 how does it do that8 ,upon the upper part of the head there is a small hollow cup1 which is lined with cilia1 and probably also secretes some sticky fluid to make the pellets of clay adhere together2 the particles of clay and mud1 having been brought to the space between the leaflets by the action of the cilia1 are conveyed to this little cup-shaped cavity1 and are then worked about by the cilia within1 till a round pellet is formed which completely fits the cavity4 ,the little creature then bends itself down upon the tube and deposits the pellet upon it1 then it raises itself up again and proceeds to form another brick1 its jaws working all the time4 ,i wonder1 said ,jack1 how the little creature manages to set apart and put in its proper place the particles required for food and those required for brick-making2 it would be funny if it sometimes made a mistake and put the clay in its stomach and the food in the brick machine6 ,it is curious1 indeed1 to know how the materials are put in the proper place2 ,i suppose the ,melicerta has the power to change the direction of the currents and thus to place the particles in their proper place4 ,by rubbing a little paint1 such as carmine or indigo1 in some water and placing a drop upon the glass slide with the ,melicerta1 these currents may be readily seen2 and ,i have more than once seen rows of coloured bricks1 red or blue1 which the animal moulded and then deposited on the tube6 ,we will take the bottle home1 and if you have patience ,i doubt not ,i shall be able to show you a good deal of what ,i have been describing2 but you must have patience1 for1 as an excellent naturalist has said1 ,the ,melicerta is an awkward object to undertake to show to our friends1 for1 as they knock at the door1 she is apt to turn sulky1 and when once in this mood it is impossible to say when her fair form will reappear4 ,at times the head is wagged about in all directions with considerable vehemence1 playing singular antics1 and distorting her lobes so as to exhibit a ,punch and ,judy profile4,b ,hark6 what is that bird singing so sweetly and with such animation in the hedge8 ,do you hear8 ,it is the dear little sedge-warbler2 often1 indeed1 heard1 but not so often seen1 for it is fond of hiding itself in bushes or sedges4 ,the sedge-warbler1 like the migratory warblers generally1 comes to us in ,april and leaves us in ,september4 ,how often have ,i listened with delight to its music when returning home quite late at night in summer months6 ,if the bird stops its music for a few moments1 you have only to throw a stone among the bushes and the singing commences again4 ,i am not clever in describing musical sounds1 and ,i cannot describe that of the sedge-warbler1 nor can ,i always distinguish it from the song of its near relative the reed-warbler4 ,both imitate the songs of other birds1 and their incessant warblings and babblings at night cause them to be often mistaken for nightingales4 ,i have generally found the nest of the sedge-warbler on the ground1 on a tuft of coarse grass or sedge2 the nest of the reed-warbler is supported on four or five tall reeds1 and is made of the seed-branches of the reeds and long grass wound round and round2 it is made deep1 so that the little eggs are not tossed out when the reeds are shaken by the high winds4 ,illustration3 ,,nest ,,of ,,reed ,,warbler4 ,hark6 there is the cuckoo2 how clearly he utters cuckoo6 cuckoo6 ,he is not far away4 ,some people can imitate the well-known note so well as to deceive the bird and bring it near the place where they are hiding4 ,your ,uncle ,philip only the other day made a cuckoo respond to him2 had the day been calm instead of windy1 he would1 no doubt1 have induced the bird to come close to us4 ,there he goes with his long tail1 flying something like a hawk4 ,you should remember the rhyming lines about the cuckoo's visit to this country3 ,in ,april1 ,come he will4 ,in ,may1 ,he sings all day4 ,in ,june1 ,he alters his tune4 ,in ,july1 ,he prepares to fly4 ,come ,august1 ,go he must4 ,i think you said1 papa1 said ,may1 that it is only the male bird that utters the cuckoo note2 what kind of a voice has the female8 ,i have never heard the note of the female cuckoo4 ,mr4 ,jenyns says1 ,the note of the female cuckoo is so unlike that of the male1 which is familiar to every one1 that persons are sometimes with difficulty persuaded that it proceeds from that bird4 ,it is a kind of chattering cry1 consisting of a few notes uttered fast in succession1 but remarkably clear and liquid4 ,very curious are the habits of the cuckoo4 ,unlike most other birds1 they do not pair2 you all know1 too1 that cuckoos make no nests1 but lay their eggs one by one in the nests of various other birds1 such as those of the hedge-warbler1 or hedge-sparrow as it is generally but wrongly called1 robin1 white-throat1 and other birds4 ,it is probable that the same cuckoo does not go twice to the same nest to deposit her egg4 ,what a curious exception is the case of the cuckoo to the instinctive love of their offspring observable in almost all birds6 ,after the eggs are laid the parent bird has no further trouble with them2 no period of incubation to bare the breast of the brooding bird2 no anxiety about her young ones1 as some idle1 wanton lad hunts amongst the trees and bushes1 destroys both nest and eggs1 or tortures the helpless fledglings6 ,but1 papa1 said ,willy1 how does it happen that the young birds hatched in the same nest with the young cuckoo always get turned out of it4 ,the cuckoo1 being much the larger and heavier bird1 fills up the greater part of the nest1 consequently the smaller fledgling companions get placed on the sides of the nest1 and partially also on the back of the young cuckoo2 when1 therefore1 the latter stands up in the nest he often lifts up on his back one of the small companions1 who thus gets thrown headlong to the ground4 ,this seems to me to be the mode in which the ejection sometimes takes place1 till at last the young cuckoo is left sole possessor of the nest1 and of course gets all the food2 at the same time ,i ought to say that some naturalists attribute a murderous disposition to the young cuckoo1 and say that the other inmates of the nest are maliciously thrown out4 ,others1 again1 say that the foster birds throw their own young ones out4 ,it is certain that the young are sometimes treated thus1 for they have been seen on the ground when the young cuckoo was too small to eject them itself4 ,illustration3 ,,cuckoo4 ,but why do not cuckoos make nests and sit on their eggs like other birds8 said ,jack4 ,such a question is more easily asked than answered2 nevertheless ,i hope you will always try to discover reasons for things4 ,it is now1 writes a celebrated naturalist1 commonly admitted that the more immediate and final cause of the cuckoo's instinct is1 that she lays her eggs1 not daily1 but at intervals of two or three days2 so that if she were to make her own nest and sit on her own eggs1 those first laid would have to be left for some time unincubated1 or there would be eggs and young birds of different ages in the same nest4 ,if this were the case the process of laying and hatching might be inconveniently long1 more especially as she has to migrate at a very early period1 and the first hatched young would probably have to be fed by the male alone4 ,the cuckoos come to this country about the middle of ,april2 the male birds arrive before the females4 ,whether this arrangement is ungallant conduct on the part of the gentlemen birds1 who prefer to come alone1 or whether1 just when the gentleman cuckoo is ready and almost impatient for a start1 her ladyship has all at once discovered some important matter that ought to be finished before leaving the country1 some adjustment of her dress1 some tiresome feather that will ruffle itself up in spite of every effort to keep it smooth1 ,i know not1 but the fact remains1 that my ,lord and ,lady ,cuckoo do not travel together4 ,let us suppose that both sexes have arrived in this country1 we will say about the #bcrd of ,april4 ,it is natural they want a little time to look about them2 at any rate1 no egg is ready for being sat upon till some weeks after the arrival of the birds1 say the #aeth of ,may4 ,the eggs require fourteen days' setting before they are hatched2 this brings the date to the #bith of ,may4 ,the young ones will require three weeks in the nest and constant feeding all the time2 we now arrive at about the #bjth of ,june1 when the young ones would be ready to leave the nest4 ,but they want five weeks' more feeding by the parents1 after they leave the nest1 before they are able to provide for themselves2 this would bring the date to about the #beth of ,july1 when there is hardly a parent bird in the country2 they have left for other parts of the world4 ,oh6 but1 papa1 said ,willy1 you said in the lines you told us to remember-- ,in ,july1 ,he prepares to fly4 ,come ,august1 ,go he must4 ,and now you say the cuckoos leave before the end of ,july4 ,i think you must have made a mistake somehow4 ,i am glad that you have found out the error1 if it is one4 ,old rhymes are not always to be trusted2 but ,i suspect that the couplet ,come ,august1 go he must1 means to imply that the cuckoo does never really stay so late with us4 ,i must not1 however1 forget to tell you that it is the old parent birds that leave us early2 young birds remain till ,september1 and even ,october1 but they have not by that time acquired the cuckoo note4 ,if you ask why cannot the old cuckoos stay with us a little longer1 and then all go away together as a family party1 young and old1 in ,september1 instead of being in such a hurry1 ,i have only to say that it is the fashion amongst cuckoos1 and of course cuckoos1 like certain other animals1 must be in the fashion4 ,this is ,dr4 ,jenner's explanation of the peculiar habits of the cuckoo in respect of its eggs4 ,i am not prepared to say whether or not it is sufficient to explain them4 ,the cuckoo's egg is very small when compared with the size of the bird2 it is of a pale grey tinged with red4 ,but how does the cuckoo's egg get into some of the nests8 asked ,willy2 for some of the nests in which the cuckoo's egg is found are too small to allow the cuckoo herself to enter to lay her egg4 ,you are quite right2 ,i believe it has been proved that the cuckoo lays her egg on the ground1 and carries it in her bill into other birds' nests4 ,illustration3 ,,horse-,,tail4 ,oh6 papa1 said ,jack1 what is this curious plant that grows so abundantly on the grass here8 ,i know it well by sight1 but do not know its name4 ,it is a spike of horse-tail2 see how the stem is marked with lines1 and how curiously jointed it is1 and quite hollow except where the joints occur4 ,the fruit is borne at the top of the plant 7a72 see1 as ,i shake it1 what a quantity of dust comes from it2 this dust is the fruit1 or spores as they are called2 each spore is of an oval form1 with four elastic threads4 ,if ,i were to put some of this dust on a glass slide1 and look at it under the microscope1 ,i should see a curious sight4 ,the four threads would be spread out1 but if ,i were to breathe on the glass1 these threads would coil themselves round the oval body2 but as soon as the effect of the moisture had passed away1 the threads would shoot out again in the same position as they were at first1 causing the spore to leap as if it were alive4 ,the stems are of two kinds1 fertile and unfertile2 the one you have in your hands is a fertile spike1 and appears only in the spring2 the unfertile ones have no dust-like fruit1 and have numerous jointed branches growing in rows1 or whorls as they are termed1 round them2 they remain throughout the summer1 and in some places form quite a thick cover4 ,feel how rough the stem is2 this is due to the presence of a quantity of silex or flint in it2 on this account some of the species are used for polishing purposes4 ,one kind1 under the name of ,dutch rushes1 is imported from ,holland1 being used for polishing mahogany1 ivory1 metal1 c4 ,the horse-tails for the most part grow in moist ground1 in ditches and on the borders of lakes2 some1 however1 are common in corn fields and on the roadside4 ,in this country they do not attain a height of more than a few feet1 but in tropical countries one or two species grow to the height of sixteen feet or more4 ,illustration3 ,,hydr1 ,,on ,,roots ,,of ,,duckweed4 ,now for a dip with the bottle in this pond4 ,i will try and catch a few ,hydr4 ,strange animals1 indeed1 they are1 and strange is their history2 but let us catch a few first4 ,nothing yet in my bottle like a hydra4 ,ah6 now we have one or two4 ,you see a small creature sticking to the stem of a bit of duckweed2 around its mouth are five or six little projections4 ,at present they are contracted2 but the hydra is able to lengthen them out1 when they appear as long1 thin lines1 which are used as the creature's fishing-lines2 it is not much larger than a pin's head at present1 but it can stretch its body out as it does its lines4 ,i will take a handful of duckweed1 and put it1 dripping wet1 into this bag1 and when we get home we will place the whole in a glass vessel full of water4 ,in the course of half an hour or so1 we shall1 no doubt1 see several hydr1 probably of different species1 in various attitudes--some hanging loosely down1 others erecting themselves in graceful curves and throwing out their arms or tentacles many times longer than their bodies2 others shooting up their arms right above their heads2 others contracted1 looking like miniature dabs of jelly2 others attached head and tail to the side of the glass2 others floating on the surface of the water1 their tail-ends sticking out and serving to keep them from sinking2 some of a beautiful grass-green colour1 others light brown or flesh colour1 others almost white1 others red4 ,these creatures may be cut into several parts1 yet each part will grow again into a perfect animal2 young ones bud out of the sides of the parents4 ,some have said that they can be turned inside out1 and find no inconvenience whatever from the operation4 ,but how1 asked ,willy1 could anybody manage to turn so small a thing as a hydra inside out8 ,it does seem an impossible task1 ,i confess1 and a man must have much skill and patience to enable him to accomplish it4 ,however1 ,i will give you the description of an attempt made many years ago by a celebrated naturalist of ,geneva1 named ,trembley1 who made the hydr or fresh-water polypes a study for many years4 ,this is what ,trembley says3--,i begin by giving a worm to the polype on which ,i wish to make an experiment1 and when it is swallowed ,i begin operations4 ,it is well not to wait till the worm is much digested4 ,i put the polype1 whose stomach is well filled1 in a little water in the hollow of my left hand2 ,i then press it with a small forceps nearer to the tail end than to the head4 ,in this way ,i push the swallowed worm against the mouth of the polype1 which is thus forced to open1 and by again slightly pressing the polype with my forceps ,i cause the worm partly to come out from its mouth1 and thus draw out with it an equal part of the end of its stomach4 ,the worm1 coming out of the mouth of the polype1 forces it to enlarge itself considerably1 especially if it comes out doubled up4 ,when the polype is in this state1 ,i take it gently out of the water1 without disturbing anything1 and place it on the edge of my hand1 which is simply moistened1 so that it may not adhere too closely4 ,i oblige it to contract more and more1 and this also enlarges the stomach and mouth4 ,the worm then is partly coming out of the mouth1 and1 keeping it open1 ,i then take in my right hand a hog's bristle1 rather thick and without a point1 and ,i hold it as one holds a lancet for bleeding4 ,i bring its thickest end to the hind end of the polype and push it1 making it enter into its stomach1 which is the more easily done as in that part it is empty and much enlarged4 ,i push on the end of the hog's bristle1 which continues to invest the polype4 ,when it reaches the worm1 which holds the mouth open1 it either pushes the worm or passes by its side1 and at last comes out by the mouth1 the polype being thus completely turned inside out4 ,illustration3 ,,hydra1 ,,with ,,young ,,ones ,,budding ,,out ,,from ,,its ,,side4 ,very strange1 indeed1 to think that animals with the wrong side outermost should continue to eat1 grow1 and multiply1 as ,trembley assures us his specimens did1 though1 perhaps1 we shall not wonder that they often tried to turn themselves back to their original condition1 and with success1 unless ,trembley took steps to prevent them4 ,there are other strange things recorded of the fresh-water polypes1 as that different individuals can be grafted together without the slightest inconvenience to any of the parties1 the joint-stock company of course being limited4 ,the hydr live on small worms1 larv of gnats1 water-fleas1 and other minute creatures2 they catch them with their tentacles or fishing-lines1 and draw them to the mouth4 ,it is maintained by many observers1 with good reason1 that these arms have the power of paralysing1 in an instant1 the worms they wrap themselves round4 ,there are at least three well-marked species of hydr to be met with in the ponds and ditches of this country4 ,there is the green hydra1 the light flesh-coloured or common hydra1 and the long-armed hydra1 the most interesting of all4 ,see1 there is the water-primrose1 now in flower1 with its delicate pink corolla and bright orange centre4 ,let us gather a few plants1 and then return home4 ,illustration ,,footnotes3 ,footnote ,b3 ',marvels of ,pond ,life1' by ,h4 ,j4 ,slack1 p4 #ib4 ,,walk ,v4 ,,may4 ,to-day we will go to ,shawbury and try our luck with the trout4 ,if the fish will not rise there will be plenty to observe1 and ,i have no doubt we shall enjoy the day thoroughly2 the wind is in the south-west and the day is cloudy2 the ,may-fly is well out1 and ,i think we have every chance of good sport4 ,let us look out our fishing-tackle and drive off at once to the river4 ,how delightful it is to stroll by the river side and hear the rippling of the water2 delightful1 too1 is the sensation of feeling at the end of your line the tugs and jumps of a good lively trout4 ,i cannot resist quoting some lines from ',the ,angler's ,song1' which ,i think you will say are very pretty3 ,merry in the greenwood is the note of horn and hound1 ,and dull must be the heart of him that leaps not to their sound2 ,merry from the stubble whirrs the partridge on her wing1 ,and blithely doth the hare from her shady cover spring2 ,but merrier than horn or hound1 or stubble's rapid pride1 ,is the sport that we court by the gentle river side4 ,our art can tell the insect tribe that every month doth bring1 ,and with a curious wile we know to mock its gauzy wing2 ,we know what breeze will bid the trout through the curling waters leap1 ,and we can surely win him from shallow or from deep2 ,for every cunning fish can we a cunning bait provide1 ,in the sport that we court by the gentle river side4 ,where may we find the music like the music of the stream8 ,what diamond like the glances of its ever-changing gleam8 ,what couch so soft as mossy banks1 where through the noontide hours ,our dreamy heads are pillowed on a hundred simple flowers8 ,while through the crystal stream beneath we mark the fishes glide1 ,to the sport that we court by the gentle river side8 ,for as the lark with upland voice the early sun doth greet1 ,and the nightingale from shadowy boughs her vesper hymn repeat2 ,for as the pattering shower on the meadow doth descend1 ,and far as the flitting clouds with the sudden sunbeams blend2 ,all beauty1 joy and harmony1 from morn to eventide1 ,bless the sport that we court by the gentle river side4 ,well1 here we are once more at the charming little village of ,shawbury4 ,how often1 both as a boy and a man1 have ,i wandered by the banks of the river ,roden4 ,what changes have taken place since my early rambles6 ,long familiar forms1 companions in my fishing expeditions1 have vanished2 the mind fondly cherishes their memory1 and recalls past hours of cheerful intercourse4 ,we will put up the horse and carriage at the ,elephant and ,castle ,inn and stroll away to the river4 ,ah6 here is a capital place4 ,now1 ,master ,willy1 there is no tree to interfere with your throw1 so cast in just near that spot1 quietly1 carefully1 anxiously2 if there is a fish there he cannot resist your green drake4 ,i recommend him the artificial before the fat natural fly4 ,as ,christopher ,north says--,devouring ephemerals6 ,can you not suffer the poor insects to sport out their day8 ,they must be insipid eating--but here are some savoury exceedingly 444 they carry sauce piquante in their tails4 ,do try the taste of this bobber--but any of the three you please4 ,there1 hold fast1 ,willy1 for that's a good one4 ,bring him up carefully to the side2 hold your rod erect2 play him a little1 for he is full of vigour4 ,there6 well done2 ,i have got him in the landing net4 ,is not he a beauty8 ,a pound weight1 ,i'll be bound2 and what condition6 ,his flesh will be almost as pink as that of a salmon4 ,further down stream ,i managed to take a fish in very different condition2 ,i took him where the river was rather muddy1 and flowed very slowly4 ,just look at him1 with a body lean and dark coloured1 and an enormous head for so slender a body4 ,oh6 but1 papa1 said ,willy1 what are these curious creatures crawling over him8 ,do look4 ,ah6 ,i know them well2 anglers call them trout lice4 ,i will scrape off a specimen1 and put him in the bottle4 ,now look at him4 ,the body is nearly round1 and almost transparent2 colour rather green2 it has four pairs of swimming feet1 each pair beset with a fringe of hairs2 a pair of foot-jaws2 a small half-cleft tail2 and a pair of fleshy circular suckers just in front of the foot-jaws1 by means of which the little creature is able to attach itself1 as a parasite1 upon various fish4 ,it is a graceful little creature1 and1 as you see1 can swim with great activity in the water2 now it swims in a straight line1 now it suddenly turns quickly round and turns over and over4 ,it is known to naturalists under the name of ,argulus foliaceus2 ,i do not think it has any ,english name4 ,it is found on many kinds of fish1 and generally in greater abundance upon individuals that are in an unhealthy state2 though these parasites often attach themselves to fish in good condition4 ,the mouth is furnished with a long1 sharp sucking-tube1 by means of which the animal can pierce the skin of the fish it lives upon1 and suck up the juices4 ,we will take a few home1 and ,i will show you the different parts of the creature under the microscope4 ,illustration3 ,,parasite 7,argulus foliaceus7 ,,on ,,trout1 ,,nat4 ,,size ,,and ,,magnified4 ,let us now sit down and rest for an hour1 and eat our lunch2 the fish do not rise as freely as they did2 perhaps later on they will be in the humour again4 ,but what do ,i see sticking to the sides of that rail across the river2 ,i must go and see4 ,well1 really this is an interesting thing4 ,an immense mass of flies1 a few alive1 but the greater number quite dead2 and1 look6 a quantity of white eggs underneath them4 ,let us examine a fly2 it is of a brown or tawny colour1 and has rather long1 diverging1 colourless wings1 marked with irregular brown spots4 ,why1 there must be thousands of dead flies covering these eggs4 ,what an odd idea6 ,presently up comes ,mr4 ,collins from the farm near the bank of the stream4 ,oh1 sir1 ,i know those flies quite well2 they are oak-flies 7,leptis scolopacea74 ,certainly not1 ,i replied1 though they do somewhat resemble them in colour and appearance2 but the farmer stoutly asserted he was right1 and ,i did not think it worth while discussing the matter further with him4 ,mr4 ,collins is a good fly-fisherman2 and fly-fishermen1 unless they are naturalists1 are generally very positive4 ,how often have ,i tried to teach anglers that the ,may-fly does not come from a caddis worm2 how often have ,i failed6 ,well1 the two-winged fly ,i have just found in such thousands1 with their dead bodies brooding over this mass of eggs1 is known to entomologists by the name of ,atherix ,ibis2 the females are gregarious1 and1 as we have seen1 attach their eggs to rails1 boughs1 or other objects overhanging streams2 each female1 having laid her eggs1 remains there and dies2 shortly after comes another and does the same1 and so on till immense clusters are formed4 ,the larva1 when hatched1 falls into the water1 its future residence2 it is said to have a forked tail about one third the length of its body1 and to have the power of raising itself in the water by an incessant undulating motion in a vertical plane4 ,i am not1 however1 acquainted with either larva or pupa1 but hope to become so this summer4 ,it is very curious1 papa1 said ,jack1 that the flies1 after they have laid their eggs1 should die there2 why do not they fly away8 ,do any other animals do the same8 ,yes1 pretty much so4 ,some of the female insects of the genus called ,coccus1 scale insect1 or mealy bug1 common on the stems of various trees1 to which they sometimes do incredible mischief1 lay their eggs and die over them1 the dead bodies of the parents forming coverings for the young4 ,see how fast the green drake is appearing4 ,notice how it flies with head erect for a second or two1 and then falls almost helplessly on the surface of the water4 ,there6 did you see that fish rise at him8 ,he has escaped the hungry trout1 and has reached a blade of grass1 where he will probably rest for some hours4 ,but give me my rod2 perhaps the same trout will rise at my artificial fly4 ,there6 that throw was exactly over the spot4 ,no2 he won't have it4 ,i'll try again and again4 ,no4 ,objects to sauce piquante1 ,i suppose4 ,well1 ,i will tempt him again in an hour's time or so4 ,the water is smooth here1 and free from rapids2 let us lie down on the grass and see the birth of ,ephemera--for that is the ,may-fly's proper name4 ,here comes something floating down4 ,it is within the reach of my hand1 so ,i will secure it4 ,what is it8 ,as ,i thought4 ,ephemera is throwing off its swaddling clothes4 ,see how it twirls and twists itself about4 ,now it is free2 and the strange-looking worm has changed into a beautiful fly4 ,but there is yet one other operation to go through ere it assumes its final and complete form2 you see at present it is a heavy flier1 for the wings are scarcely dry1 and the muscles as yet unequal to great exertion2 so in their present imperfect form they are constantly dropping for a second or two in the water1 and are often sucked down the throat of some roach1 trout1 or other fish on the look-out4 ,you should remember that the ,ephemera1 or ,may-fly1 in this its sub-imago1 or imperfect winged state1 represents the green drake of the angler4 ,what have ,i here on this blade of grass8 ,do you see8 ,what is the shadowy form that lifelessly clings to it8 ,it is a delicate membrane1 thin and light2 see1 ,i blow it away4 ,you saw the split in the back1 through which the former tenant left the abode4 ,it is the cast-off skin of the green drake1 now metamorphosed into a creature more active than harlequin or columbine1 the male into a dark brown insect1 with gauze-like wings1 the female into a beautiful creature1 with body marbled white and brown1 and able to fly well and strongly1 now high in the air1 now sailing along close to the surface of the water1 ever and anon dipping gently into it for the purpose of laying her eggs4 ,the small oval eggs sink down to the bottom1 and attach themselves to the weeds and stones that are found there4 ,the flight of the male ,ephemera is different2 it is the males that practise together that peculiar up-and-down dance1 with heads erect and bodies curving prettily upwards2 of course1 you can understand how countless multitudes fall victims to fish and bird1 for dainty morsels they are4 ,these flies1 though voracious feeders both in the larval and nymphal state1 never eat at all after they have assumed their perfect form4 ,indeed1 they have no true mouth1 only an imperfect or rudimentary one2 and you would never find a particle of food in their stomachs1 which are always more or less full of air-bubbles1 which1 no doubt1 assist in buoying up the insect1 and thus save the expenditure of muscular power4 ,i'll catch one of those dancing males1 and press him quickly in the middle4 ,there6 crack he goes6 for the little air-bubbles in the stomach have burst by the pressure of my finger and thumb4 ,abundant as are the ,may-flies at the latter end of ,may and the beginning of ,june in this country1 in other countries they are sometimes more astonishingly numerous4 ,in some parts of ,holland1 ,switzerland1 and ,france1 their great numbers have been compared to pelting flakes of snow4 ,the myriads of ,ephemer which filled the air1 says ,reaumur1 over the current of the river and over the bank on which ,i stood1 are neither to be expressed nor conceived4 ,when the snow falls1 with the largest flakes and with the least interval between them1 the air is not so full of them as that which surrounded the ,ephemer4 ,the occurrence of such prodigious numbers is1 ,i believe1 unknown in the ,british isles4 ,in the perfect or imago state the ,may-fly lives but a short time4 ,the word ephemera means living only for a day2 and though individuals may live longer1 yet the term is fairly correct as expressing their short existence4 ,the ,may-flies 7,ephemer7 have all three long fine hairs at the end of the tail2 some members of the same family1 but belonging to a different genus1 have only two hair-like appendages4 ,for instance1 the fly known to fishermen as the ,march-brown belongs to the same family as the ,may-fly2 it is smaller than it1 and has only two hairs at the end of the tail2 but with this exception1 the natural ,march-brown and the ,may-fly are wonderfully alike2 yet it is most curious to notice what a wonderful difference there is in the larv of these two insects4 ,significant facts1 no doubt1 lie at the bottom of such differences in the case of insects so evidently allied1 but these ,i will not speak of4 ,here are the two forms of larv1 the one being the larva of the common ,may-fly 7,ephemera71 the other that of the ,march-brown 7,batis74 ,illustration3 ,,larva ,,of ,,ba,,tis1 ,,with ,,breathing ,,paddles1 ,,magnified4 ,illustration3 ,,larva ,,of ,,ephemera1 ,,or ,,may-,,fly1 ,,magnified ,,two ,,diameters4 ,come1 we have lunched1 and rested1 and watched the ,may-flies2 let us try to catch a few more trout4 ,it is very strange why sometimes the fish will not rise1 though the weather is propitious and the water in first-rate order4 ,holloa6 master ,willy1 what game are you after now8 ,oh1 papa1 he exclaimed1 there are a lot of dace on this shallow1 so ,i put the spinning hooks on1 and1 see1 ,i have managed to hook a couple out1 by simply throwing the tackle on the other side of the fish and then drawing it smartly through the water over them4 ,well1 that looks like a bit of poaching1 at all events2 the fish are spawning amongst that water-crowfoot1 no doubt2 just hook out some weed1 and ,i dare say we shall see some eggs4 ,to be sure2 there they are1 dotted over the long thread-like leaves of the plant1 like little pearls4 ,you have caught enough1 for ,i think it is not sportsmanlike conduct to take such unfair advantage of the unfortunate dace4 ,put on your casting line and try under the old forge bridge4 ,you think there is not much use8 ,a true fly-fisherman should never say so4 ,i have taken many a trout under the bridge1 and ,i dare say you may be successful this time4 ,there6 ,i told you so4 ,keep your line tight1 and ,jack shall land him4 ,he is not a large fish evidently1 but very lively4 ,now you have him1 throw him on the grass4 ,are there any parasites on him8 ,yes2 but different to the last we observed4 ,here is a leech-like creature1 rather small and cylindrical2 it is the ,piscicola1 a not uncommon parasitic leech on fish4 ,well1 put him into the bottle2 we can take him home and examine him at leisure4 ,how many trout have we taken now8 ,we have got nine1 papa1 and1 remember1 ,i have caught three4 ,yes2 but ,i suppose you include the poaching8 ,no2 ,i have caught three trout with the fly1 and ,i don't count the dace4 ,not a bad day's sport1 after all2 for ,i threw back again three small fish4 ,what is this showy plant1 with large1 yellow1 globe-like blossoms8 ,how pretty it is1 growing in abundance in a little spot near the river6 ,it is the globe flower1 so called from the rounded shape of the corolla2 it is one of the buttercup family1 as you will1 perhaps1 guess4 ,in its wild state ,i believe it is found in mountain districts1 so ,i suspect it has found its way here from some of the cottage gardens which are only a quarter of a mile distant4 ,we will grub up a few roots2 perhaps ,mrs4 ,charlton would like them for her wild garden shrubbery4 ,when you go a-fishing always be provided1 if not inconvenient1 with a trowel and a small basket1 as well as with a few wide-mouthed bottles2 they will be very useful1 especially if the trout will not rise4 ,the trowel and basket you can leave at a cottager's house1 and the bottles are indispensable to every angler-naturalist4 ,what are you running after1 ,jacko8 ,oh6 ,i see2 one of the most beautiful insects that are found in this country4 ,ah6 he is too quick for you4 ,it is the brilliant steel-blue dragon-fly4 ,let us sit down for a few minutes and watch its flight4 ,how rapidly it flies1 now pursuing the course of the river1 now suddenly darting back again4 ,it is the ,agrion virgo1 the most splendid of all the dragon-flies1 even rivalling the gorgeously coloured insects of tropical countries4 ,all the dragon-flies proceed from water larv2 strange creatures of unbecoming forms and ferocious dispositions4 ,the mouth1 or rather the lower lip of the larva is of very singular form4 ,two jaw-like organs are at the end of the lip1 its basal portion being articulated to the head2 this mask1 as it has been called1 is folded beneath the head when in repose1 but it can be suddenly shot out in front of the head so as to seize any small creatures that may pass near it which the larva thinks good to eat4 ,imagine one of your arms being joined on to your chin1 bend your elbow up till your hand covers your face--this will represent the dragon larva with the mask in repose2 now shoot out your arm in a straight line from the head--this will represent the mask unfolded and in use2 your fingers may be considered to represent the jaws of the creature4 ,when the larva wishes to turn into an insect1 it leaves the water and creeps up the stem of some water weed or other object out of the water1 bursts its skin1 and commences its new state of existence4 ,if we look about us near the water side1 we shall be sure to find some empty pupa skins4 ,here are two on this sedge2 you see a slit on the back through which the dragon-fly has come out4 ,the dragon-flies are the largest and most active of our ,british insects1 and1 to quote the descriptive words of ,professor ,rymer ,jones1 are pre-eminently distinguished by the rapidity of their flight and the steadiness of their evolutions while 'hawking' for prey in the vicinity of ponds and marshy grounds1 where in hot summer weather they are everywhere to be met with4 ,equally conspicuous from their extreme activity1 their gorgeous colours1 and the exquisite structure of their wings1 they might be regarded as the monarchs of the insect race4 ,the very names selected for them by entomologists would testify the perfection of their attributes2 their titles ranging from that of ,anax imperator1 indicative of imperial sway1 to epithets expressive of feminine delicacy and ladylike grace1 such as virgo1 puella1 demoiselle1 and damsel-fly1 which are appropriated to the sylph-like forms that many of them exhibit4 ,in their habits1 however1 they by no means deserve the gentle appellations bestowed upon them4 ,they are1 in truth1 the tigers of the insect world1 and their whole lives are devoted to bloodshed and rapine4 ,indomitable in their strength of wing1 furnished with tremendous jaws1 and possessed of acuteness of sight and rapidity of motion scarcely to be paralleled1 there seems to be no escape from their ferocity1 and terrible is the slaughter they effect amongst the insect legions they are appointed to destroy4 ,it must not1 however1 be supposed from the above description that the dragon-flies are creatures that deserve to be killed4 ,on the contrary1 they are most serviceable to men1 and destroy countless numbers of injurious flies and butterflies whose larv do damage to vegetation4 ,well1 papa1 said ,jack1 the boys in the village always kill them if they can catch them1 and say they sting horses4 ,i know that this is a popular tradition1 inherited by the rural folks of our day from their great-great-grandmothers' grandmothers4 ,dragon-flies are often called horse stingers2 in ,america they are sometimes called devil's darning-needles2 in ,scotland1 ,i believe1 they are known by the name of flying adders4 ,where is my net8 ,i will try and catch a demoiselle4 ,there6 ,i have her1 or ,i should rather say him1 for these dark spots on the wings disclose the sex2 the female has unspotted wings1 and is of a rich green colour4 ,how splendidly it shines in the sun1 said ,willy2 nothing can exceed the beauty of its wings4 ,well1 now you have looked at him closely and admired him1 ,i will let him go again4 ,off he flies1 none the worse for his temporary captivity4 ,now for my friend the trout1 who would not take my fly an hour ago4 ,ah6 ,i have got him the first throw2 see how he jumps4 ,now1 ,willy1 for the landing-net4 ,bravo6 all safe1 and a good fish too4 ,our sport is over for the day1 and we must get ready to drive home4 ,to-morrow1 ,willy1 you may learn these lines from ,thomson's ',seasons3' ,when with his lively ray the potent sun ,has pierced the stream and roused the finny race1 ,then1 issuing cheerful1 to thy sport repair2 ,chief should the western breezes curling play1 ,and light o'er ether bear the shadowy clouds4 ,just in the dubious point where with the pool ,is mixed the trembling stream1 or where it boils ,around the stone1 or from the hollowed bank ,reverted plays in undulating flow1 ,there throw1 nice judging1 the delusive fly2 ,and as you lead it round in artful curve ,with eye attentive mark the springing game1 ,straight as above the surface of the flood ,they wanton rise1 or urged by hunger leap1 ,then fix with gentle twitch1 the barbed hook4 ,some lightly tossing to the grassy bank1 ,and to the shelving shore slow-dragging some1 ,with various hand proportioned to their force4 ,if yet too young and easily deceived1 ,a worthless prey scarce bends your pliant rod2 ,him1 piteous of his youth1 and the short space ,he has enjoyed the vital light of heaven1 ,soft disengage1 and back into the stream ,the speckled captive throw4 ,but should you lure ,from his dark haunt1 beneath the tangled roots ,of pendent trees1 the monarch of the brook1 ,behoves you then to ply your finest art4 ,long time he1 following cautious1 scans the fly2 ,and oft attempts to seize it1 but as oft ,the dimpled water speaks his jealous fear4 ,at last1 while haply o'er the shaded sun ,passes a cloud1 he desperate takes the leap1 ,with sullen plunge4 ,at once he darts along1 ,deep struck1 and runs out all the lengthened line2 ,then seeks the furthest ooze1 the sheltering weed1 ,the caverned bank1 his old secure abode1 ,and flies aloft1 and flounces round the pool1 ,indignant of the guile4 ,with yielding hand1 ,that feels him still1 yet to his furious course ,gives way1 you1 now retiring1 following now ,across the stream1 exhaust his idle rage2 ,till1 floating broad upon his breathless side1 ,and to his fate abandoned1 to the shore ,you gaily drag your unresisting prize4 ,there is some good advice here worth remembering2 at any rate1 persevere1 persevere1 and no doubt you will become in time ,illustration3 ,a ,,most ,,successful ,,angler4 ,,walk ,,vi4 ,,june4 ,we had many pleasant rambles last autumn1 said ,willy1 in search of fungi4 ,how ,i wish the time was come when we could hunt for fungi again4 ,think of the woods at the bottom of the ,wrekin1 and those delightful fir plantations near ,tibberton4 ,besides you know some kinds are so good broiled for breakfast4 ,i often think of fungus-hunting4 ,when shall we be able to go out hunting again8 ,september and ,october are the best months1 but we shall meet with fungi earlier4 ,however1 ,i will promise you a long day's ramble or two in search of fungi when the time comes4 ,in the mean time let us keep our eyes open1 and ,i dare say we shall even now1 in the month of ,june1 meet with a few interesting species4 ,we will go into some of the meadows near home to-day1 and ,i am much mistaken if we shall not be able to find ,st4 ,george's mushroom4 ,it is a very delicious fungus1 and perfectly wholesome4 ,i gathered a few specimens the other day1 and now that the weather is warm1 ,i doubt not we shall meet a good number2 so1 besides collecting bottles1 we will take a basket1 and ,jack shall be the carrier4 ,now separate yourselves and search this pasture well4 ,here are a lot of fungi growing in a ring1 exclaimed ,may4 ,let me look4 ,you have found what we wanted4 ,this fungus is the ,agaricus gambosus1 or ,st4 ,george's mushroom4 ,see how closely the gills are set together2 they are yellowish-white in colour2 the top is thick and fleshy2 the stem1 too1 is very thick4 ,few fungi1 comparatively speaking1 grow so early in the year1 and you could not mistake gambosus for any other kind4 ,what8 ,you think the smell rather strong4 ,well1 ,i confess this fungus has a strong and not a very pleasant odour4 ,put what you have collected into the basket2 you will find that the taste is better than the smell4 ,here are some specimens with the top cracked and split2 these are a little older1 but they are very good4 ,we will put them with the rest4 ,oh1 papa1 exclaimed ,jack1 ,i was looking at that ash tree in the hedge1 and ,i thought ,i saw a mouse run up the trunk4 ,i suspect it was not a mouse1 but a bird1 called1 from its habit of running up trees1 the tree-creeper4 ,let us get a little nearer4 ,i see ,i am right2 there the little bird is1 running rapidly up the tree2 now he stops1 as if examining the bark2 now he is off again4 ,how very like a mouse1 to be sure6 ,it is one of the smallest of our ,british birds1 and1 though common enough1 is not very often seen1 except by those who1 caring for such things1 use their eyes well4 ,now he has gone to the opposite side of the tree2 off he goes again and explores another trunk4 ,by means of its long curved claws and stiff forked tail-feathers1 this prettily marked bird is enabled to climb with great rapidity4 ,it remains in this country all the year1 and is more abundant in plantations and parks where there are plenty of trees4 ,it makes its nest in a hollow tree1 or on the inner side of the bark of a decayed one4 ,the little bird lays many eggs1 from six to nine1 in the month of ,april2 they are nearly white1 with a few pinkish spots1 generally at the larger end of the egg4 ,it utters a few pleasing but feeble notes4 ,the young ones are1 as you may suppose1 tiny little things4 ,you should notice the curved pointed beak of this bird1 and the stiff tail-feathers it presses against the tree as a fulcrum to aid it in its ascent4 ,illustration3 ,,tree-,,creeper ,,and ,,young4 ,we will go into this adjoining field1 which will soon be ready to mow4 ,we will keep by the hedge--for it would not be right to trample down the tall grass--and gather a few grasses4 ,few people know more about grass than that it is good pasturage for cattle and sheep4 ,let us gather a lot1 and take care1 as far as we can1 to gather only one kind each4 ,how graceful and beautiful they are1 and what difference there is amongst them2 some have a stiff spike-like head of flowers1 others have pretty drooping heads2 some are harsh and rough to the touch1 others soft as satin4 ,some1 again1 are of great value as pasturage and for making into hay2 others are positively noxious weeds4 ,you know the twitch or couch grass1 that gives the farmer so much trouble2 it is most rapid in its growth and difficult to kill2 its underground creeping stems spread in all directions1 and1 if left to itself1 would soon take sole possession of the whole soil4 ,so the farmers are very careful to rake together all they can2 they then collect it in heaps and burn it4 ,here is the rough cocksfoot grass1 with its head or panicle as it is called1 upright and tufted4 ,look at its large yellow stamens2 it is a very productive species and enters largely into all hay-grass4 ,here is the common quaking grass1 with its slender1 smooth1 spreading branches4 ,see how the numerous little heads tremble with the slightest motion2 we do not see much of it in these meadows4 ,it is an exceedingly pretty grass1 and often seen on the chimney-pieces of cottagers1 but is by no means a valuable agricultural grass2 on the contrary1 it is a sign1 when abundant1 of poor land4 ,illustration3 ,,panicle ,,of ,,grass4 ,here we have the smooth-stalked meadow grass1 and here is the hedge wood-melic grass1 with its slightly drooping panicle1 and spikelets on long slender footstalks4 ,here is the soft meadow grass2 feel how smooth its panicle is2 this1 the oat-like grass4 ,what is that very tall grass1 asked ,willy1 that often grows near the water8 ,it is much taller than you are1 and has a rich brown drooping head4 ,you mean the common reed-grass1 no doubt2 it is not yet in flower1 but you will see it in ,august and ,september4 ,it is a magnificent grass1 though not of much use to the farmer4 ,the little birds find shelter amongst its stems1 and the reed-warbler often chooses them as pillars whereon to support its nest4 ,then you must not forget another tall and handsome grass1 often found on the banks of rivers and lakes1 called the reed-canary grass2 it flowers about the middle of ,july4 ,you know the ribbon-grass1 in the garden1 with its leaves striped with green and white1 varying immensely in the width of its bands1 so that you can never find two leaves exactly alike4 ,yes1 indeed1 papa1 said ,may1 ,i know it well2 you know we always put some with the flowers we gather for the drawing-room table4 ,well1 this is only a cultivated variety of the reed-canary grass2 and ,i have sometimes let a cluster of the ribbon-grass run wild as it were1 and then the leaves turn to one uniform green4 ,the reed-meadow grass is another tall and handsome kind2 this cattle are very fond of2 it is sweet to the taste and grows in damp situations4 ,you sometimes see1 said ,may1 a very beautiful and curious grass1 with long yellow feathery tails1 amongst the ornaments in rooms4 ,that is the feather-grass2 it is a very rare grass1 and has been seldom found wild in this country4 ,the long yellow tails are the awns1 which resemble delicate feathers4 ,here is the sweet-scented vernal grass2 taste and see how pleasant it is2 it is the grass which1 perhaps more than any other1 gives that charming odour to the hayfields4 ,there is a clear pond in yonder corner of the field1 let us go there and see what we can find1 said ,willy4 ,all right4 ,it is a very likely pond for many interesting creatures2 but let us first look at the plants that grow round or in it4 ,there are a few sedges here and there--a pretty order of plants2 at present you must be content with making yourselves acquainted with their general form4 ,take care how you gather them1 for the leaves and stems of some kinds are very rough1 and if you draw them quickly through your hand you may cut it rather sorely4 ,oh6 do come here1 papa1 said ,may2 here is quite a new flower to me2 is it not a beauty8 ,indeed1 it is a lovely plant2 it is the buckbean or marshtrefoil1 and generally grows in some boggy spot1 such as this4 ,look at the three green leaflets1 like those of the common bean--hence one of the names of the plant4 ,look again at the clusters of blossoms2 some are not fully out1 and are of a lovely rose colour2 others are quite out1 and the flowers covered with a white silken fringe4 ,bite a bit1 and taste how bitter it is2 people often gather the roots and use them as a tonic medicine4 ,i think in some countries1 as in ,norway and in ,germany1 the leaves have been used in the place of hops for brewing beer2 about a couple of ounces being equal to a couple of pounds of hops4 ,the late ,sir ,william ,hooker found the buckbean very plentiful in ,iceland1 and says that where it occurs it is of great use to travellers over the morasses1 for they are aware that the thickly entangled roots make a safe bed under the soft morass for them to pass over4 ,here is hairy mint1 nearly a foot high2 do you dislike the smell8 ,i think it pleasant myself2 it is not yet in flower1 but will be so in about six weeks' time4 ,holloa6 ,jack1 what's the matter8 ,i have only tumbled down1 papa1 amongst these nasty nettles1 and got stung rather sharply4 ,that is interesting4 ,do you know how it is that nettles sting8 ,oh1 papa1 said ,jack1 pitifully1 you are like the man in the fable who was giving a lecture to the drowning boy2 the boy asked him to get him first of all out of the water1 and to give him the lecture afterwards4 ,now1 you should first tell me how to cure these nettle stings1 and ,i would then be more inclined to learn how it is that nettles sting4 ,illustration3 ,,nettle4 ,the pain will soon pass off1 and ,i do not know that there is any remedy4 ,when at school1 ,i was told to rub the stung part over with a dock leaf1 but ,i do not think this ever did it any good4 ,now1 ,i want you to pay particular attention2 you know what we call the dead nettle--,i mean what plant ,i allude to2 there is the red1 white1 and yellow so-called dead nettles2 you remember the shape of the flowers of these three kinds4 ,look at the flowers of the real stinging nettles2 are they not extremely unlike8 ,you see the small green flowers in long branched clusters2 how different from the lip-shaped flower of the dead nettles4 ,illustration3 ,,dead ,,nettle4 ,there is some general resemblance1 however1 between the real nettles and the so-called dead nettles2 the leaves for instance of the white dead nettle are very like those of the stinger4 ,the dead nettles1 however1 are not at all related to the true nettle1 and belong to quite a different family called the ,labiate tribe1 from the ,latin word ,labium1 a lip1 in allusion to the form of the corolla4 ,is the pain better1 now1 ,jacko8 ,yes1 it is getting less severe2 look what large white lumps have arisen on the back of my hand4 ,the sting of the nettle is a very curious and interesting object under the microscope4 ,it consists of a hollow tube with a glandular organ at the bottom of it1 in which is contained an acrid fluid very irritating to the skin2 the fine point of the sting or hair pierces the skin1 and the pressure forces up the fluid from the bottom of the hair1 which is then conveyed into the wound by a point at the top of the sting4 ,illustration3 ,,labiate ,,plant4 a4 ,stamens4 b4 ,corolla4 c4 ,calyx4 ,illustration3 ,,sting ,,of ,,nettle1 ,,magnified4 ,the nettles of foreign countries have much greater poisonous properties4 ,the effects of incautiously handling some ,east ,indian species are terrible4 ,the first pain is compared with the pain inflicted by a red-hot iron2 this increases and continues for days4 ,a ,french botanist was once stung by one of these nettles in the ,botanical ,gardens of ,calcutta2 he says the pain so affected the lower part of his face that he feared lock-jaw4 ,he did not get rid of the pain till nine days had expired4 ,dr4 ,hooker saw gigantic nettles in ,nepal1 one was a shrubby species growing fifteen feet high1 called by the natives mealum-ma4 ,they had so great a dread of it that ,dr4 ,hooker could hardly persuade them to help him to cut it down4 ,he gathered several specimens without allowing any part to touch his skin1 but the scentless effluvium was so powerful as to cause unpleasant effects for the rest of the day4 ,the sting produces violent inflammation1 and to punish a child with mealum-ma is the severest ,lepcha threat4 ,then there is the nettle of ,timor1 or devils-leaf1 the sting of which sometimes produces fatal effects4 ,tree-nettles in ,australia are occasionally found as much as twenty-five feet in circumference4 ,there are three species of stinging nettles in this country1 the great nettle1 the small nettle1 and the ,roman nettle2 the first two are very common1 the last very rare indeed4 ,there is a curious story told of the introduction of this last species into this country4 ,you may believe as much as you please of it4 ,it is said that before the ,romans under ,julius ,csar thought it prudent to come to ,england--of the coldness of which they had heard a good deal--they procured some seeds of the ,roman nettle1 intending to sow them when they landed in this country2 so when they landed at ,romney1 in ,kent1 they sowed the seeds4 ,and what use1 papa1 asked ,willy1 would nettles be to them during the cold weather in ,england8 ,well1 they meant to nettle themselves1 and so chafe their skins so as to enable them to bear the cold better4 ,and tough skins they must have had1 for the poison of the ,roman nettle is much more severe than that of the two common species4 ,camden1 ,i believe1 tells the story2 as ,i said1 you may believe it or not4 ,do you see that tortoiseshell butterfly hovering near the nettles8 ,its larva was a greenish-black caterpillar with yellow stripes1 and it lived1 when in that state1 entirely on the leaves of the nettle2 the larv also of other kinds of butterflies feed on this plant1 as the admiral butterfly1 and the peacock butterfly4 ,i have eaten the young shoots of the common nettles in the spring of the year2 they do not make a bad substitute for spinach4 ,illustration3 ,,larva1 ,,chrysalis1 ,,and ,,insect ,,of ,,the ,,small ,,tortoise-,,shell ,,butterfly4 7,vanessa urtic47 ,how prettily the yellow flags skirt the pool2 there1 you see1 is the common branched bur-reed1 with its sword-like leaves and round heads of flowers2 a little way in the pool is the pretty arrowhead with its large conspicuous arrow-shaped leaves and flesh-coloured flowers1 both leaves and flowers standing several inches out of the water4 ,in the water1 too1 ,i see the brown leaves of the perfoliate pondweed2 they are almost transparent1 and look when dry something like gold-beater's skin4 ,i see also the cylindrical tufts of the horn-wort with its bristle-like leaves often several times forked4 ,it grows entirely under the water4 ,see also a few rose-coloured spikes of the amphibious persicaria4 ,illustration3 ,,young ,,cristatella1 ,,magnified4 ,such are some of the most conspicuous plants near our pond4 ,it looks likely to contain some fresh-water polyzoa1 than which there are few more beautiful tenants of the water4 ,here is a young one on this leaf of persicaria2 do you see it8 ,i put it into my bottle4 ,now look1 it has lately been hatched from that round egg with curious hooks around its margin4 ,it is called ,cristatella4 ,at present there are only three individuals in the outer heart-shaped covering1 but additional ones will bud out of these three1 and others from these last1 till the whole colony may number as many as sixty individuals1 being then fully an inch long2 the mouth of each is placed between the tentacles1 which have upon them1 running down each side1 a great number of very minute hairs or cilia1 to which1 you may remember1 ,i have alluded before4 ,the colour of the colony is yellowish white1 sometimes brownish white4 ,it is a most exquisite little animal1 or rather colony of animals2 for1 though there are several creatures in one house1 as it were1 each is separate and independent of its neighbour4 ,you will often find other forms of polyzoa in clear ponds and mill-pools2 sometimes you would suppose you were looking at a mass of sponge1 as in the case of ,alcyonella1 or the creeping root of some weed1 as in ,plumatella and ,fredericella2 but when the sponge-like mass or rootlets are placed in water you will observe numbers of little animals to show their heads and tentacles above the mass or from the little holes in the creeping rootlets4 ,ah6 what have we here8 ,do you see those long narrow ribbons of floating grass about a yard from us8 ,do you notice some of the ribbons to be bent and folded here and there8 ,between each fold we shall find an egg of a newt4 ,let me get this bit of grass ribbon4 ,there1 ,i unfold it where it is creased1 and you see a transparent glairy substance1 within which is a round yellowish egg4 ,here again is another4 ,the leaves of persicaria1 also1 are often selected by the female newt for the purpose of depositing her eggs4 ,here you see is a leaf folded up2 between the folds is another newt's egg4 ,i have never seen the newt in the act of laying her eggs1 but1 ,i believe1 it may readily be observed by placing a female newt any time during the months of ,may and ,june in a vessel of water with some leaves of persicaria4 ,mr4 ,bell says1 ,the manner in which the eggs are deposited is very interesting and curious4 ,the female1 selecting some leaf of an aquatic plant1 sits as it were upon its edge1 and folding it by means of her two hind feet1 deposits a single egg in the duplicature of the folded part of the leaf1 which is thereby glued most securely together1 and the egg is thus effectually protected from injury4 ,as soon as the female has in this way deposited a single egg1 she quits the leaf1 and after the lapse of a short time seeks another1 there to place another egg4 ,the eggs undergo various changes1 and the animal1 at an early part of its life1 has a pair of delicate organs on each side of the neck2 these are rudimentary gills1 by means of which the little creature breathes4 ,in its very early condition these gills are simple lobes2 ,i ought to say that the first pair of lobes serve the purpose of holders by which the little creature attaches itself to leaves and other things4 ,but when it is about three weeks old the gills have many leaf-like divisions1 and look like beautiful feathered fringes4 ,the circulation of blood in these gills may be readily seen under the microscope1 and will be surveyed with the greatest delight4 ,by-and-bye the animal buds out its four legs and looses the gills2 they do not drop off1 but become absorbed2 hitherto it has carried on its respiration or breathing by means of these gills1 but how does it breathe now that it has lost them8 ,the lungs in the inside of the body have been gradually growing larger and fit for breathing the atmospheric air2 for newts1 when arrived at their full or perfect state1 are1 you know1 chiefly terrestrial creatures1 and breathe by means of their lungs4 ,when young they are in a fish state1 and breathe the air contained in the water exactly as fish do4 ,if you will look at a pond where newts abound1 you will see the old ones constantly coming to the top of the water1 gulping down a mouthful of air and then returning to the bottom4 ,full-grown newts do not frequent the water excepting for the sake of laying their eggs4 ,the young ones are ready for leaving the water in the autumn1 but ,i have often obtained young newts with their gills fully developed in the depth of winter4 ,probably these had been hatched late in the summer and had not time to grow their lungs1 so had to keep to their gills and lead the life of a fish during the winter4 ,people often call newts 'askers1' papa1 said ,willy1 and the lads of the village always kill them when they catch them2 they say their bite is poisonous4 ,i am sorry to say they do2 but it is an error to suppose their bite is poisonous4 ,you have yourself handled many specimens1 and ,i am sure you never saw one attempt to bite4 ,i do not believe their small teeth and weak jaws could pierce the skin4 ,four species of newts have been described as occurring in this country--the two common kinds are the smooth newt and the warty newt4 ,i think ,i once found the palmated newt near ,eyton2 the male of this species is distinguished from other newts by having the hind legs webbed and by a thin filament or thread at the end of the tail4 ,illustration3 ,,donacia4 a1 b4 ,larv1 nat4 size4 c4 ,cocoons on root1 nat4 size4 d4 ,beetle1 slightly magnified1 e4 ,head of larva4 ,what is this1 papa1 said ,jack1 that ,i have found sticking to the roots of this water-weed2 they look like the eggs of some creature8 ,they are not eggs1 but the cocoons of a very common but pretty beetle called ,donacia4 ,see1 ,i will slit one open with my penknife4 ,there is the little animal inside1 a white1 fat1 maggoty thing2 it has two curious hooks at the end of the tail1 it has only just framed its cell1 and is about to change from the larval to the pupal state4 ,here you see are other maggots among the roots2 they have not yet made a cocoon4 ,i will open some more2 here is one in its pupal condition4 ,here is another almost ready to come out as a beetle4 ,the ,donacia have all a metallic appearance and very beautiful they are1 whether blue1 red1 copper1 or purple2 the under side is covered with a fine silky down4 ,they are found in great numbers on water-weeds1 and being very sluggish are readily caught or picked off the plants they frequent with the hand4 ,do you notice those small1 flat1 brown or black dabs so common on almost any water-weed you pluck up8 ,these are planarian worms1 and though not of prepossessing appearance generally1 are extremely interesting animals to study4 ,these large1 reddish1 oval or round cocoons are the eggs of the planari4 ,here is one of the largest of the family4 ,it is of a milk-white colour1 beautifully marked with delicate tree-like branches2 sometimes this species 7,planaria lactea7 is of a light pink colour4 ,the mouth is not situated where mouths usually are1 in the fore part of the body1 but almost in the centre4 ,see1 ,i will place this white planaria on my hand2 do you notice that it protrudes something you might perhaps say was its tongue8 ,it is not its tongue1 however2 it is a tubular proboscis1 and is very strong and muscular1 and unlike the soft body of the animal4 ,by means of this proboscis the creature is enabled to pierce the bodies of other creatures and to suck out their juices4 ,i have kept planari under observation1 and seen them drive this proboscis through each other4 ,these black and brown dabs often feed upon the milky planari4 ,they are something like the hydr in their power of producing lost portions of their bodies4 ,cut them in two or more pieces1 each piece will grow into a perfect planaria again4 ,these you see do not swim but crawl1 or glide over the surface of plants in the water4 ,some kinds1 however1 different from these1 are able to swim well4 ,we have had a long and successful hunt to-day4 ,let us go4 ,,walk ,,vii4 ,,june4 ,this morning1 before we started for our walk1 we went to look at a hedgehog which had been brought to us the preceding day4 ,we discovered that the animal1 in the course of the night1 had crept into a bag with a quantity of bran in it1 and that there were four little ones with her4 ,there they were as snug as possible1 the mother and little urchins6 ,very curious little animals too these young hedgehogs4 ,the spines or prickles were nearly white and soft1 and were not spread over the whole body1 but arranged in rows down it4 ,the appearance was that of a plucked duckling when it is what is called penny4 ,they were perfectly blind1 and the passage of the ear was quite closed2 they uttered faint1 puppy-like cries4 ,i was desirous to try and rear them2 but ,i had grave doubts about the old one1 for those who have attempted to rear young hedgehogs have generally found that the mother ate her offspring4 ,we removed her1 young and all1 to another place1 giving them plenty of straw and supplying bread and milk for the old one4 ,buffon1 amongst others1 relates that he had repeatedly placed the mother with the young in a place of confinement2 but that1 instead of suckling them1 she invariably killed and devoured them1 notwithstanding that she was provided with plenty of food4 ,however1 we determined to give our young urchins a chance1 and hoped the mother hedgehog would be favorably disposed towards her offspring2 so we now left her undisturbed4 ,willy wished to know whether hedgehogs were injurious creatures1 for you know1 papa1 he said1 that country lads and gamekeepers always kill them whenever they have a chance4 ,i am convinced that hedgehogs do much more good than harm1 by the destruction they cause to insects1 slugs1 snails1 field-mice1 and other pests of the farm4 ,there is a foolish idea in the minds of the uneducated that these animals suck cows4 ,you have only to laugh at such an absurdity2 but ,i doubt you will scarcely ever succeed in persuading such people that the idea is a ridiculous one1 and utterly unsupported by fact4 ,hedgehogs will undoubtedly destroy eggs1 and one can understand why gamekeepers wage war against them1 fearing for the safety of the eggs or young birds of their favorite partridges or pheasants4 ,this is natural4 ,i suspect1 however1 that hedgehogs seldom molest the nests1 and that the injury they do in this respect is very small4 ,but you know1 papa1 said ,jack1 that they will eat young birds4 ,do you not remember the dead sparrow we once gave to a hedgehog1 and how furiously he went at it1 and how soon he ate it all up except the feathers4 ,yes1 added ,willy1 and do you not also remember our putting a toad in the same box with a hedgehog8 ,oh6 how angry he seemed1 and how savagely he shook the unfortunate toad6 ,he did not1 however1 seem to like the flavour1 and soon gave up the fight4 ,hedgehogs will certainly destroy young birds2 but we must remember to set the good any animal does against the harm1 and strike the balance2 and1 as ,i said1 ,i suspect in this case the good will largely preponderate4 ,hedgehogs are extremely fond of beetles2 they seize on them with great earnestness1 and crack them with as much delight as you lads crack nuts4 ,hedgehogs are sometimes kept in houses for the purpose of eating the cockroaches so often abounding in kitchens4 ,snakes are also devoured by hedgehogs4 ,the late ,professor ,buckland1 having occasion to suspect that hedgehogs sometimes preyed on snakes1 procured a common snake and also a hedgehog1 and put them in a box together4 ,whether or not the latter recognised its enemy was not apparent2 it did not dart from the hedgehog1 but kept creeping gently round the box4 ,the hedgehog was rolled up1 and did not appear to see the snake4 ,the professor then laid the hedgehog on the snake1 with that part of the ball where the head and tail meet downwards1 and touching it4 ,the snake proceeded to crawl2 the hedgehog started1 opened slightly1 and seeing what was under it gave the snake a hard bite1 and instantly rolled itself up again4 ,it soon opened a second1 and again a third time1 repeating the bite4 ,this done1 the hedgehog stood by the snake's side1 and passed the whole body of the snake successively through its jaws1 cracking it1 and breaking the bones at intervals of half an inch or more1 by which operation the snake was rendered motionless4 ,the hedgehog then placed itself at the tip of the snake's tail1 and began to eat upwards1 as one would eat a radish1 without intermission1 but slowly1 till half of the snake was devoured4 ,the following morning the remaining half was also completely eaten up4 ,when rather young these animals make very interesting pets2 they soon become tame1 and will allow you to stroke their cheeks4 ,you remember our placing a hedgehog on the study table1 and seeing how it got off on to the ground4 ,it came to the edge1 and threw itself off1 coiling up its body partly as it fell2 the elastic nature of its prickly covering enabling it to bear the shock of the fall without the slightest inconvenience4 ,illustration3 ,,great ,,grey ,,shrike1 ,,or ,,butcher ,,bird1 ,,with ,,its ,,victims--,,shrews ,,and ,,blue ,,titmouse4 ,let us go on the moors again1 and watch the coots and water-hens in the reedy pools near the aqueduct4 ,do you see that great tit on a branch of this poplar8 ,he is actually at work doing a bit of butchery on a small warbler4 ,see how he is beating the poor little fellow on the head2 he wants to get at his brains4 ,are there not birds called butcher-birds8 asked ,willy1 that fix their victims on thorns1 and then peck off their flesh8 ,shall we see any of them8 ,there are three kinds of butcher-birds that have been known to come to this country4 ,two kinds are very uncommon1 and we are not likely to meet with any of them in our walks4 ,i may as well1 however1 tell you something about them2 but1 as ,i have no personal knowledge of the habits of any of the species1 ,i must get my information from other sources4 ,the great grey shrike1 the red-backed shrike1 and the woodchat shrike1 are the three species of the family occurring in ,great ,britain2 the red-backed shrike is the only tolerably common one1 arriving in this country late in ,april1 and quitting it in ,september4 ,mr4 ,john ,shaw tells me this bird visits the quarry grounds at ,shrewsbury every spring1 and an early riser1 if he goes there1 can see these birds readily4 ,mr4 ,yarrell says that the great grey shrike is only an occasional visitor to this country1 and is generally obtained between autumn and spring4 ,its food consists of mice1 shrews1 small birds1 frogs1 lizards1 and large insects4 ,after having killed its prey1 it fixes the body in a forked branch1 or upon a sharp thorn1 the more readily to pull off small pieces from it4 ,the following remarks are by a gentleman who had one of these birds in confinement3--,an old bird of this species1 he says1 taken near ,norwich in ,october1 #ahce1 lived in my possession twelve months4 ,it became very tame1 and would readily take its food from my hands4 ,when a bird was given it1 it invariably broke the skull1 and generally ate the head first4 ,it sometimes held the bird in its claws1 and pulled it to pieces in the manner of hawks1 but seemed to prefer forcing part of it through the wires1 then pulling at it4 ,it always hung what it could not eat up on the sides of the cage4 ,it would often eat three small birds in a day4 ,in the spring it was very noisy1 one of its notes a little resembling the cry of the kestrel4 ,it is a cunning as well as a bold bird4 ,it is said that by imitating the notes of some of the smaller birds it calls them near it1 and then pounces upon some deluded victim4 ,the shrike is used by falconers abroad for trapping falcons2 it is fastened to the ground1 and by screaming loudly gives notice to the falconer1 who is concealed1 of the approach of a hawk4 ,you will notice in any picture of a shrike how admirably adapted is its curved beak for butchering purposes4 ,the red-backed shrike frequents the sides of woods and high hedgerows1 generally in pairs1 and may frequently be seen perched on the uppermost branch of an isolated bush1 on the look out for prey4 ,the males occasionally make a chirping noise1 not unlike the note of the sparrow4 ,it also imitates the voice of small birds4 ,mr4 ,yarrell says the food of the red-backed shrike is mice1 and probably shrews1 small birds1 and various insects1 particularly the common ,may-chaffer4 ,its inclination to attack and its power to destroy little birds has been doubted2 but it has been seen to kill a bird as large as a finch1 and is not unfrequently caught in the clap-nets of ,london bird-catchers1 having struck at their decoy-birds2 and ,mr4 ,hewitson says--,seeing a red-backed shrike busy in a hedge1 ,i found1 upon approaching it1 a small bird1 upon which it had been operating1 firmly fixed upon a blunt thorn2 its head was torn off1 and the body entirely plucked4 ,what an amazing quantity of little lady-bird beetles there are on this hedge-bank1 said ,may4 ,the ground is almost red with them4 ,yes1 it is a very common1 but very pretty species4 ,you see there are seven black spots on its red wing-covers1 three on each1 arranged triangularly1 and one at the top of the wing-covers1 just at the point where they meet4 ,are these insects injurious1 papa8 asked ,willy2 you say there are so many insects that are4 ,i do hope the little lady-birds do no mischief4 ,i am happy1 then1 to tell you that they are as useful as they are pretty4 ,you all know what are called plant-lice1 those nasty green or black flies called ,aphides1 which cover the leaves or branches of so many trees and flowers1 and do most terrible mischief4 ,well1 the lady-birds1 both when they are larv and when they are beetles1 eat these pests1 and help to keep their devastating swarms in check4 ,i have frequently seen an aphis in the mouth of a lady-bird2 and the larva1 a curious six-footed grub1 about the third of an inch long1 which you may often see late in the summer and the autumn1 is still more fond of aphis food4 ,mr4 ,curtis says two lady-birds cleared two geranium plants of aphides in twenty-four hours4 ,the species we are looking at is the seven-spotted lady-bird2 there is another very common kind1 whose scarlet wing-cases have one black spot on the centre of each4 ,this species is subject to considerable variety2 it is called the two-spotted lady-bird4 ,there is another you may often find2 it is small and yellow1 with eleven spots on each wing-cover4 ,this is called the twenty-two-spotted lady-bird2 it is an elegant little creature4 ,it is interesting to note how the observation of some particular animal has led naturalists to the choice of their favorite study4 ,mr4 ,gould tells us that his first inclination to the study of birds arose from his father having once lifted him up to peep into a hedge-warbler's nest4 ,his admiration for the beautiful blue eggs led him to devote his time to ornithology1 or the study of birds4 ,if ,i remember rightly1 ,kirby's mind was directed to the study of insects by noticing the wonderful vitality shown by a little lady-bird beetle1 which1 after having been immersed twenty-four hours in spirits of wine1 on being taken out actually flew away4 ,what is the meaning1 asked ,mary1 of the nursery rhyme about the lady-bird8 ,lady-bird1 lady-bird1 fly away home1 ,your house is on fire1 and your children will burn8 ,indeed1 ,i cannot tell you4 ,there are different versions of the old song4 ,one runs thus3 ,lady-bird1 lady-bird1 fly away home2 ,your house is on fire1 your children at home1 ,all but one that lives under the stone1-- ,fly thee home1 lady-bird1 ere it be gone4 ,in ,yorkshire and ,lancashire it is-- ,lady-bird1 lady-bird1 fly thy way home1 ,thy house is on fire1 thy children all roam1 ,except little ,nan1 who sits in her pan1 ,weaving gold laces as fast as she can4 ,the names of ,lady-bird1 ,lady-cow1 no doubt originated from the general reverence for this insect and its dedication to the ,virgin ,mary4 ,in ,scandinavia this little beetle is called ,our ,lady's ,key-maid1 in ,sweden ,the ,virgin ,mary's ,golden ,hen4 ,similar reverence is paid in ,germany1 ,france1 ,england1 and ,scotland4 ,in ,norfolk it is called ,bishop ,barnabee1 and the young girls have the following rhyme1 which they continue to recite to it placed on the palm of the hand1 till it takes wing and flies away4 ,bishop1 ,bishop ,barnabee1 ,tell me when my wedding be2 ,if if be to-morrow day1 ,take your wings and fly away6 ,fly to the ,east1 fly to the ,west1 ,fly to him that ,i love best4 ,the word barnabee or burnabee1 or1 as ,southey writes it1 burnie-bee1 no doubt has reference to the burnished or polished wing cases of the insect4 ,let us now look out for the coots and water-hens1 which love to dabble amongst the weeds of these pools1 and to hide amongst the hedges and bulrushes that so thickly skirt them4 ,see how rapidly the swifts or ,jack-squealers1 as the country folks call them1 are gliding by2 you remember when we were noticing the swallows and martins that we thought of the swifts4 ,look at the beautiful scythe-like form of the wings2 the tail1 you see1 is slightly forked2 but the bird has the power of bringing the feathers together1 so that sometimes you cannot see its cleft form4 ,i generally notice swifts in the neighbourhood about the #eth of ,may2 this year ,mr4 ,john ,shaw tells me he saw some in ,shrewsbury as early as the #bcrd of ,april4 ,although they come to us the last of the swallow family1 they leave us the soonest4 ,by the middle of ,august most of the swifts will have left us4 ,this bird has remarkably short legs2 and ,i remember more than once taking one off the ground when ,i was a boy at school1 for unless it is raised a little above the level of the ground1 it finds it very difficult to mount upwards by reason of its extremely short legs and long wings4 ,if we had a swift in our hands1 ,i could point out how it differed from the rest of the swallow family in the structure of its feet2 in the other members the four toes are arranged three before and one behind2 in the swift all the four toes are directed forwards4 ,there is another kind of swift1 the white-bellied swift1 which has1 on a few occasions1 been noticed in this country4 ,it is rather larger than the common swift1 and has wings of greater length1 and can fly even more rapidly4 ,hark6 ,i hear the noise of a coot proceeding from the reeds of a pond4 ,i dare say if we keep quite still we shall get a glimpse of her4 ,there she comes2 and do look1 a lot of young ones with her2 little black downy things they are1 as we should see were we near enough to examine them4 ,the old birds have a naked white patch on the forehead1 and are therefore called bald-coots4 ,you can see the white patch now she faces us and the sun is shining2 the body is a dingy black tinged with dark grey2 you notice a little white about the wings4 ,the feet of the coot are curiously formed1 each of the four toes is partly webbed1 having a membrane forming rounded lobes2 the claws are very sharp1 and the bird does not hesitate to make use of them if you catch hold of it carelessly2 so ,col4 ,hawker gives the following caution to young sportsmen--,beware of a winged coot1 or he will scratch you like a cat4 ,i never saw a coot dive2 and think it seldom does2 water-hens1 every one knows1 are frequent divers4 ,the old bird is pulling up some of the weeds of the pool for the young ones2 how carefully she attends to them2 the heads of the little ones are nearly naked1 and of a bright orange colour mixed with blue2 but this brilliant colouring lasts only a few days4 ,the nest is made of broken reeds and flags1 and hidden amongst the tall rushes and edges in the water4 ,bewick mentions the case of a coot having built her nest among some rushes1 which were afterwards loosened by the wind1 and of course the nest was driven about and floated upon the surface of the water in every direction2 notwithstanding which1 the female continued to sit as usual1 and brought out her young upon her movable habitation4 ,see1 now they have all gone away to hide amongst the reeds2 they like to come out into the open water late in the evening1 and it is not often easy to observe them in the day-time4 ,there are plenty of moor-hens or water-hens in these reedy pools4 ,they are not so peaceful as the coots1 for they have been known to attack young ducklings4 ,there one swims1 jerking up its tail1 which is whitish underneath1 and nodding its head2 the moor-hen is a smaller bird than the coot1 though resembling it both in form and habits4 ,the feet1 however1 are very different1 for1 instead of the toes being furnished with a lobed membrane1 they have a continuous narrow one down each4 ,moor-hens have been known to remove their eggs from the nest1 in order to add to it1 and to replace them again4 ,mr4 ,selby relates the following interesting account3 ,during the early part of the summer of #ahce a pair of water-hens built their nest by the margin of the ornamental pond at ,bell's ,hill1 a piece of water of considerable extent1 and ordinarily fed by a spring from the height above1 but into which the contents of another large pond can occasionally be admitted4 ,this was done while the female was sitting2 and as the nest had been built when the water-level stood low1 the sudden influx of this large body of water from the second pond caused a rise of several inches1 so as to threaten the speedy immersion and consequent destruction of the eggs4 ,this the birds seem to have been aware of1 and immediately took precaution against so imminent a danger2 for when the gardener1 upon whose veracity ,i can safely rely1 seeing the sudden rise of the water1 went to look after the nest1 expecting to find it covered and the eggs destroyed1 or at least forsaken by the hen1 he observed1 while at a distance1 both birds busily engaged about the brink where the nest was placed2 and when near enough1 he clearly perceived that they were adding1 with all possible dispatch1 fresh materials to raise the fabric beyond the level of the increased contents of the pond1 and that the eggs had by some means been removed from the nest by the birds1 and were then deposited upon the grass1 about a foot or more from the margin of the water4 ,he watched them for some time1 and saw the nest rapidly increase in height2 but ,i regret to add that he did not remain long enough1 fearing he might create alarm1 to witness the interesting act of the replacing of the eggs1 which must have been effected shortly afterwards2 for upon his return in less than an hour1 he found the hen quietly sitting upon them in the newly raised nest4 ,in a few days afterwards the young were hatched1 and1 as usual1 soon quitted the nest and took to the water with the parent4 ,the nest was shown to me in situ very soon afterwards1 and ,i could then plainly discern the formation of the new with the old part of the fabric4 ,what is that little bird in the water8 asked ,jack4 ,oh6 he is suddenly gone2 do you see the curl in the water where it dived8 ,it was no doubt a dabchick1 then1 from your description1 though ,i was not in time to see it before it dived2 if we keep quite still and silent ,i dare say it will appear again4 ,there it is1 dabbling in the water in search of water insects that are found amongst the weeds4 ,another name of this bird is the little grebe2 several species of grebes have been found in this county2 the great-crested grebe is a very handsome bird and frequents lakes and rivers2 but of the five ,british grebes1 the little dabchick is by far the most common4 ,the feet of these birds are peculiar1 the toes are not connected together by a web1 as you see in ducks and geese2 they are1 however1 united at the base1 and each of the three front toes is surrounded by a broad continuous membrane2 the lower part of the leg is also very flat2 the legs are placed very far backwards1 so that these birds stand almost upright2 the wings are short and seldom used for flight2 however1 they are admirable swimmers and divers1 and pretty1 lively little birds4 ,the plumage of this little grebe varies according to the time of year4 ,now1 in the summer weather1 the head1 neck and back are a very dark brown2 the cheeks and front of the neck a rich chestnut2 chin jet black2 in the winter they lose this chestnut colour1 and are then of a light olive-grey colour and white underneath4 ,formerly the two different states of the plumage were thought to mark two different species4 ,the nest1 as ,mr4 ,gould tells us1 is a raft of weeds and aquatic plants carefully heaped together in a rounded form4 ,the young ones have delicate rose-coloured bills and harlequin-like markings on the body1 and rosy-white breasts4 ,so active and truly aquatic is the dabchick1 even when only one or two days old1 that it is almost impossible to see it in a state of nature2 for immediately after the young birds are hatched1 they either take to the water of their own accord1 or cling when not more than an hour old to the backs of their parents1 who dive away with them out of harm's way4 ,mr4 ,gould mentions that a friend of his1 when out on a fishing excursion with him1 once shot a dabchick as it dived across a shallow stream2 on emerging wounded1 on the surface1 two young ones clinging to the back were caught by ,mr4 ,gould in his landing net4 ,so rapid is their diving that they can often avoid the charge of a gun2 they then rise again with only the tips of their bill above water1 and even these generally concealed amongst some patch of weeds or grass4 ,the grebes have a peculiar habit of plucking off the soft feathers from the under side of the body and swallowing them4 ,why they do so is not known4 ,illustration3 ,,convolvulus4 ,what is this pretty pink flower1 asked ,may1 with long trailing stems and leaves broadly arrow-shaped8 ,from its resemblance to that beautiful convolvulus in the garden ,i should think it must be a smaller kind of that plant4 ,you are quite right1 it is a convolvulus1 and its ,english name of ,field ,bindweed is expressive of the clinging habits of this plant2 see how tightly it has wrapped itself round this tall blade of grass4 ,although a very pretty plant2 with its pink flowers and darker plaits1 its arrow-shaped leaves1 and its fragrant smell1 it is a troublesome weed to the farmer4 ,then there is the greater bindweed1 with its large bell-blossoms sometimes white as snow1 sometimes striped with pink1 sometimes almost rose-colour1 so often seen growing profusely over the tallest bushes4 ,both kinds of bindweed1 however1 are mischievous weeds2 the large kind you may find in flower as late as ,september4 ,some of the bindweed family1 ,i ought to say1 are valuable in medicine4 ,there is for instance the ,convolvulus jalapa and ,convolvulus scammonia1 both of which are extensively used in medicine2 the former a ,south ,american plant and the latter a ,syrian one4 ,then there is the so-called sweet-potato1 which is the root of ,convolvulus batatas used in ,china1 ,japan1 and other tropical countries as a wholesome food4 ,strange it seems that plants so closely related should differ so much in their properties4 ,the accompanying vignette may be supposed to represent ,master ,willy watching the movements of a snail4 ,illustration ,,walk ,,viii4 ,,july4 ,let us have another stroll on the moors4 ,we pass over a small brook on our way1 and of course stop on the bridge and gaze into the little rivulet4 ,what do ,i see about four yards off in the shade8 ,a number of small dark-coloured patches which ,i recognise at once as one of our most beautiful fresh-water alg4 ,we will gather some from the bottom4 ,there6 the little tufts are attached to the upper sides of stones4 ,when taken out of the water1 the plant looks and feels like a mass of very dark jelly4 ,i will float a piece out in this bottle of water4 ,did you ever see anything more beautiful8 ,it consists of a number of delicate branches1 each arranged in a bead-like row1 and from a certain resemblance which these beaded rows bear to frog-spawn1 as well as from their jelly-like consistency1 this alga has received the name of ,batrachospermum1 which means frogs' spawn4 ,if we take a bit home and spread it out carefully on a piece of drying paper1 separating the numerous beaded branches one from the other with the point of a needle1 and leave it to dry gradually1 we shall get a very pretty object indeed4 ,as you may suppose1 the plant is a most charming object for the microscope4 ,do you think1 asked ,willy1 it would do in my aquarium8 ,i have several times tried it in an aquarium2 it would live for a few days1 then gradually lose colour and break to pieces4 ,the fact is that1 as ,dr4 ,hassall says1 these plants inhabit mostly pure and running waters1 being usually met with in fountains1 wells1 and streams1 the force of which is not considerable4 ,the frog-spawn alga1 therefore1 will not thrive in any but the purest water1 and a gentle flow is necessary to its growth and health4 ,these plants are so exceedingly flexible1 ,dr4 ,hassall continues1 that they obey the slightest motion of the fluid which surrounds them1 and would seem almost to be endowed with vitality2 nothing can surpass the ease and grace of their movements4 ,when removed from the water they lose all form1 and appear like pieces of jelly without trace of organization4 ,on immersion1 however1 the branches again quickly resume their former disposition4 ,they adhere strongly to paper1 and in drying frequently change to some other tint usually much deeper2 on being moistened after long intervals they recover much of their original freshness2 and it is even asserted that1 after having lain in the herbarium for some years1 when they are replaced in water in a suitable locality1 they will vegetate as before4 ,this last assertion ,i must say ,i do not credit4 ,i shall never forget the delight ,i felt when ,i first made the acquaintance of this curious and graceful alga4 ,from the eyes of how many people are its charms hidden6 ,it is only those that look closely that would notice the little jelly-like tufts growing modestly in shaded places for the most part4 ,this species1 however1 is common enough in gently flowing and shallow streams1 and we may often come across it in our rambles if we take the trouble to use our eyes4 ,there are other extremely beautiful forms of fresh-water alg4 ,here in this same stream are the long green threads of ,cladophora glomerata4 ,i use as few hard words as possible1 but ,i cannot help using them sometimes1 as many objects have no ,english names4 ,this alga is also attached to stones and floats out with the current sometimes two feet in length2 and1 like the frog-spawn alga1 is fond of pure water1 but ,i have often kept the ,cladophora alive in perfect health in an aquarium for weeks together4 ,its deep refreshing green colour and graceful form make it a very desirable acquisition for the aquarium4 ,i break off a small bit4 ,now see its beautifully branched form4 ,do you remember a round green ball about the size of a small apple which ,i have at home8 ,well1 that ball1 which came from ,ellesmere1 is nothing else than a mass of this same ,cladophora4 ,dr4 ,hassall is no doubt correct in his explanation of the formation of these balls4 ,he says1 ,this state of ,cladophora glomerata ,i believe to be formed as follows3 ,a specimen by the force of some mountain stream swollen by recent rains becomes forced from its attachment2 as it is carried along by the current1 it is made to revolve repeatedly upon itself1 until at last a compact ball is formed of it1 which finally becomes deposited in some basin or reservoir in which the stream loses itself1 and in which these balls are usually found4 ,here are some specimens in the water of a rich brown colour instead of green4 ,this is caused by the growth of other alg over its long branches4 ,see6 ,i shake a bit in my bottle1 and you see a quantity of brown deposit comes off1 showing the green threads of the ,cladophora underneath4 ,this brown deposit looks to you1 ,i dare say1 very uninteresting4 ,i will show you some under the microscope when we get home1 and you will see many extremely beautiful forms4 ,these are known by the name of ,diatomace and ,desmidi4 ,i will not tell you more of them at present2 but a picture which ,i will show you will give you the forms of some of these microscopic plants4 ,illustration3 ,,fresh-,,water ,,alg1 ,,desmide1 ,,and ,,diatomace4 ,all highly magnified4 #a4--,staurastrum4 #b4--,trigonocystis4 #c4--;,euastrum4 #d4--;,closterium4 #e4--;,diatoma4 #f1 #g4--,meridion4 #h4--;,eunotia4 #i4--;,exilaria4 ,here we are once more on the wild moors4 ,there is really nothing very wild about them now2 cultivation has turned them into excellent pasturage2 the epithet1 too1 is a corruption of weald1 signifying a wood4 ,but this whole district1 extending from ,longdon-upon-,tern to ,aqualate1 was once1 there can be no doubt1 covered with water4 ,perhaps it was the bed of a large lake a great many years ago2 the soil1 you see1 is composed of peat varying in thickness in different parts1 and below the peat is often found sand and pebbles1 which looks as if it was once the bottom of a vast lake ten miles or more long1 and three broad4 ,the village of ,kinnersly was evidently once an island1 and you can now see the moors extending all around it4 ,once1 then1 the whole district was covered with water1 but about #bjj years ago it was covered with wood4 ,illustration3 ,,kestrel4 ,oh6 papa1 did you see that8 said ,jack4 ,a hawk pounced upon a small bird and has taken him to that fir tree1 where he is eating him4 ,it is a kestril2 one of the commonest of the ,british hawks1 and which we may often see in this district2 though ,i am afraid those destructive animals called gamekeepers will in time succeed in destroying every hawk in the neighbourhood4 ,well1 but1 papa1 said ,willy1 do they not do a great deal of harm to young partridges and pheasants1 and of course the gamekeeper will not stand that8 ,i dare say2 indeed ,i have no doubt that a kestril will occasionally seize upon a young partridge1 but it is also certain that mice form the principal part of its food4 ,remains of mice1 shrews1 beetles1 lizards1 have been found in the kestril's stomach1 and ,i am sure it would be a great pity to seek to exterminate this handsome and attractive bird4 ,is this the hawk that you very often see hovering steadily in the air over one spot8 asked ,may4 ,yes1 it is1 and from this habit it has got the name of windhover2 the outspread tail is suspended and the head always points in the direction of the wind4 ,the sparrow-hawk ,i occasionally see1 and now and then the merlin1 a beautiful little fellow and of great courage2 the sparrow-hawk is a much greater enemy to young birds than the kestril1 and ought not to be allowed to increase where game or poultry are reared1 for so bold are these birds that they will not unfrequently skim over a poultry yard1 seize a young chicken and carry it off4 ,have you never heard the cry of terror an old hen utters when a hawk is seen in the air near her little brood8 ,mr4 ,gould gives us the following anecdote of a sparrow-hawk as related to him by a friend3-- ,three or four years since ,i was driving towards ,dover1 when suddenly a sparrow-hawk1 with a stoop like a falcon's1 struck a lark close to my horse's head4 ,the lark fell as a grouse or a partridge will fall to a falcon or tiercel1 and the sparrow-hawk did not attempt to carry1 but held on his way4 ,i jumped down and picked up the body of the lark and the head2 the two being entirely disunited4 ,the velocity and force of the stoop must have been tremendous4 ,i have often seen grouse and partridges ripped up the back and neck1 and the skull laid bare1 but ,i never saw a head taken clean off before4 ,a sparrow-hawk has been known to pursue a finch between the legs of a man1 and to dash through a window-pane with the intention of seizing some cage-bird4 ,what was that very large bird1 papa1 said ,willy1 that you noticed near ,eyton last ,november8 ,it was one of the hawk family1 was it not8 ,yes2 ,i have no doubt it was the common buzzard1 though it would not allow me to get very near it2 but ,i watched it at a distance for some time4 ,it would remain on a tree for some time1 and then take a slow flight away1 returning again to some tree4 ,buzzards are not nearly such active fliers and bold birds as the smaller kinds of hawks4 ,though ,i said it was the common buzzard1 you must not suppose that this bird is really common2 it is called common as being the species most frequently seen in this country4 ,mr4 ,yarrell1 in his book on ',british ,birds1' has given the figure of a buzzard nursing and feeding a brood of young chickens4 ,is not that a curious thing8 ,he says1 ,the extreme partiality of the common buzzard to the seasonal task of incubation and rearing young birds has been exemplified in various instances4 ,a few years back1 a female buzzard1 kept in the garden of the ,chequers ,inn1 at ,uxbridge1 showed an inclination to sit by collecting and bending all the loose sticks she could gain possession of4 ,her owner1 noticing her actions1 supplied her with materials4 ,she completed her nest and sat on two hens' eggs1 which she hatched1 and afterwards reared the young4 ,since then she has hatched and brought up a brood of chickens every year4 ,she indicates her desire to sit by scratching holes in the ground1 and breaking and tearing everything within her reach4 ,one summer1 in order to save her the fatigue of sitting1 some young chickens just hatched were put down to her1 but she destroyed the whole4 ,her family1 in ,june1 #ahci1 consisted of nine1 the original number was ten1 but one had been lost4 ,when flesh was given to her1 she was very assiduous in tearing and offering it as food to her nurselings1 and appeared uneasy if1 after taking small portions from her1 they turned away to pick up grain4 ,what is this little mouse-like thing in the grass8 how quickly it runs4 ,now ,i have got him4 ,no6 off again2 burrowing under the grass-roots4 ,now ,i have him safe enough2 he cannot bite me with this glove on4 ,look at the little rogue1 with his soft short silky fur and long nose4 ,see how flexible that pointed nose is2 how useful in grubbing amongst the closest herbage1 or under the surface of the soil4 ,how sharp are the little creature's teeth4 ,with them he eats worms and the larv of various kinds of insects4 ,well1 what is its name8 ,it is the common shrew1 and though the form of the body is mouse-shaped1 it is1 properly speaking1 not a mouse at all1 being much more nearly related to the mole4 ,it is said that shrews are very fond of fighting1 and that if two be confined together in a box1 the stronger will conquer the weaker and then eat him4 ,moles are said to eat their small relatives1 but ,i have never had any evidence of the fact1 though it is probable enough4 ,may wanted to know whether cats eat shrews4 ,i have often tried cats with dead shrews1 and have always found they will not touch them4 ,i dare say1 however1 they would kill them4 ,the smell of the shrew is certainly unpleasant1 as you may find out from this little fellow ,i hold in my hand4 ,mind he does not bite your nose4 ,now we have examined him ,i shall let him go4 ,it is no pleasure to take an animal's life1 and as this little shrew does no harm but good by destroying insect larv1 it would be a shame to hurt him4 ,where injurious creatures must be killed1 let us always be careful to take away life so as to cause the least possible pain4 ,now1 would any of you have ever thought that the little shrew ,i have just released had ever been supposed to be one of the most dangerous enemies to cattle8 ,this was really once believed by our ancestors1 who thought that a shrew1 by running over the backs of cattle1 made them weak in the loins1 and that its bite made a beast swell at the heart and die4 ,absurd as was the belief1 the supposed cure for the injury was1 if possible1 still more ridiculous4 ,it consisted in passing over the cow's back the twigs of a shrew ash4 ,now a shrew ash1 says ,gilbert ,white1 is an ash whose twigs or branches when applied to the limbs of cattle will immediately relieve the pains which a beast suffers from the running of a shrew-mouse over the part affected1 for it is supposed that a shrew-mouse is of so baneful and deleterious a nature1 that wherever it creeps over a beast1 be it horse1 cow1 or sheep1 the suffering animal is afflicted with cruel anguish and threatened with the loss of the use of the limb4 ,against this accident1 to which they were continually liable1 our provident forefathers always kept a shrew ash at hand which1 when once medicated1 would maintain its virtue for ever4 ,a shrew ash was made thus3 into the body of the tree a deep hole was bored with an auger1 and a poor devoted shrew-mouse was thrust in alive1 and plugged in1 no doubt with several quaint incantations long since forgotten4 ,it is marvellous how people could ever have believed such stuff2 but equal absurdities are still accepted by many people to this very day2 so strong a hold on men's minds have the kindred vices of superstition and ignorance4 ,look at these spiders' webs on this hawthorn hedge1 they are formed of delicate silken threads1 and are of a long funnel shape2 the spider occupies the bottom part and soon rushes up should any insect get into the trap1 and quickly rushes down and escapes at the back door if your hand enters the front4 ,the top of the funnel is spread out into large broad sheets1 and the whole snare is attached by silken cords to the twigs of the bushes4 ,this is the snare and residence of a good-sized species1 the ,agelena labyrinthica4 ,such webs are common on hedges1 on grass1 heath1 and gorse4 ,now you must distinguish between spiders' nests and spiders' snares4 ,the very common wheel-like webs1 which you see abundantly on hedges1 are snares or traps for insects1 and beautiful they look on a dewy morning all strung with liquid pearls4 ,here under this oak are a number of old acorn-cups of last autumn's produce2 the acorns have fallen out and the black cups remain4 ,do you see a delicate spider's web filling this cup2 inside are a quantity of tiny round eggs1 and a small spider is keeping guard within2 this is a spider's nest4 ,many spiders spin cocoons for their little round eggs1 place them in various situations1 and leave them2 others show the greatest care for them and carry them about wherever they go4 ,the cocoons of the species whose web or trap we are now looking at are made of strong white silk1 each cocoon containing perhaps #ajj round eggs1 rather yellowish in colour4 ,they are fastened to the inside of a web the spider spins by means of silken pillars formed by a number of threads closely glued together4 ,the sac containing the cocoons is fastened to stems of grass or other objects1 and partially hidden by a few withered leaves4 ,for the purpose of securing their prey1 says ,mr4 ,blackwall1 the author of a splendid work on ',british ,spiders1' spiders have recourse to divers expedients4 ,numerous species run rapidly about in quest of those objects which constitute their food2 others1 approaching their victims with great circumspection1 spring upon them from a distance2 some lie concealed in flowers or among leaves1 seizing such insects as come within their reach2 and many species procure a supply of nutriment by means of complicated snares of their own fabrication4 ,of these snares the most beautiful1 as ,i said1 are the wheel within wheel nets of the various species of the family ,epirid4 ,what are those spider-like things1 asked ,willy1 with long thin bodies1 you often see skating along the water8 they are something like the spiders4 ,they are not spiders at all1 but insects called water-measurers1 from their peculiar habit of taking a short skate on the surface of the water and then stopping2 having measured that distance1 off they go again4 ,however1 many spiders do run along on the surface of the water1 and you know there is one1 the great water-spider1 that lives habitually in it4 ,some years ago ,i had one of these water-spiders in a glass vessel of water1 and saw it spin its curious dome-shaped web which it attached to the sides of the glass and some weeds4 ,these domes are formed of closely woven white silk1 in the form of a diving bell or half a pigeon's egg1 as ,de ,geer has said1 with the opening below4 ,it looks like a half-ball of silver2 this appearance is due to a quantity of air4 ,it is1 in fact1 a huge air-bubble surrounded by a covering of white silk1 and1 as you may suppose1 a very interesting and pretty object4 ,within this silver dome the spider places her eggs1 perhaps a hundred or more in number1 which are enveloped in a cocoon1 this being attached to the inner side of the dome4 ,but how1 said ,jack1 is the bubble formed8 ,where does the air come from8 ,you have asked a very interesting question1 and one which can be answered2 for the question was set at rest by ,mr4 ,bell1 an excellent observer and well-known naturalist1 about twelve years ago1 if ,i remember rightly4 ,he found that the old spider actually took the air down with her from the surface of the water1 and deposited it in her domed house4 ,i shall now quote ,mr4 ,bell's words3 ,the manner in which the animal possesses itself of the bubble of air is very curious1 and1 as far as ,i know1 has never been exactly described4 ,it ascends to the surface slowly1 assisted by a thread attached to a leaf or other support below and to the surface of the water4 ,as soon as it comes near the surface it turns with the extremity of the abdomen upwards1 and exposes a portion of the body to the air for an instant1 then with a jerk it snatches1 as it were1 a bubble of air1 which is not only attached to the hairs which cover the abdomen1 but is held on by the two hinder legs1 which are crossed at an acute angle near their extremity2 this crossing of the legs taking place at the instant the bubble is seized4 ,the little creature then descends more rapidly and regains its cell1 always by the same route1 turns the abdomen within it1 and disengages the bubble4 ,spiders have strong jaws2 at the bottom of each hooked jaw there is a small sac which contains a poisonous fluid2 this fluid is conveyed by a narrow channel from the sac along the jaw1 and is pressed out at an opening or slit at the tip of the fang into the wound inflicted on its victim4 ,the feet of spiders are generally terminated by two or more claws furnished with teeth2 by means of these combs the animal is enabled to manage the threads of its web with great dexterity and efficiency4 ,illustration3 ,,spider',s ,,fang1 ,,magnified4 ,illustration3 ,,spider',s ,,foot1 ,,magnified4 ,illustration ,,walk ,,ix4 ,,july4 ,let us be off to the fields once more2 the sun is very hot1 but we can find refreshing shade under the trees when we are tired4 ,what is this beautiful little plant with bright scarlet flowers fully expanded8 ,it is the scarlet pimpernel1 or poor man's weather-glass2 for on rainy days1 and even before the showers are coming1 the little plant1 conscious of their approach1 closes up its flowers4 ,other wild flowers1 such as the convolvulus1 close before rain4 ,the little pimpernel1 however1 is supposed to be the best barometer4 ,there is another thing about the pimpernel2 you will not often see its blossoms expanded after three o'clock in the afternoon4 ,in other countries1 also1 the regular closing of the flowers has been noticed4 ,dr4 ,seeman1 who went as naturalist on one of the ,arctic ,expeditions1 noticed the flowers to close during the long day of an arctic summer4 ,although1 he says1 the sun never sets while it lasts1 the plants make no mistake about the time1 when if it be not night it ought to be1 but regularly as the evening hours approach1 and when a midnight sun is several degrees above the horizon1 they droop their leaves1 and sleep even as they do at sunset in more favoured climes4 ,look at the bright scarlet flower1 with its small purple eye4 ,excepting poppies1 with their dazzling brightness1 ,i do not think there is another wild flower that has scarlet petals4 ,however1 the blossoms are not always scarlet2 there is a white variety with a purple eye1 and another having a dark blue blossom4 ,illustration3 ,,scarlet ,,pimpernel4 ,well1 ,jack1 you have found something1 have you8 ,ah6 this is a queer plant1 it has queer habits1 and a queer name2 it is called ,jack-go-to-bed at noon4 ,we sometimes call you after the name of another plant1 ,jack-by-the-hedge4 ,may1 of course1 is ,may1 or hawthorn blossom1 and ,robin at home1 from his often tearing his clothes1 is ,ragged ,robin4 ,another name for the plant you hold in your hand is goat's beard2 the leaves are long and grass-like1 the flowers bright yellow2 it is not yet quite eleven o'clock1 and the blossoms are expanded2 they generally close about noon4 ,look at the colour of the stem1 it has a kind of sea-green bloom upon it4 ,well1 you would never find this plant with blossom expanded in the afternoon2 so ,jack-go-to-bed at noon is really not a bad name for it4 ,and goodly now the noon-tide hour ,when from his high meridian tower ,the sun looks down in majesty4 ,what time about the grassy lea ,the goat's-beard prompt his rise to hail ,with broad expanded disc1 in veil ,close mantling wraps its yellow head1 ,and goes1 as peasants say1 to bed4 ,here we are at a stream2 do you see those things at the bottom slowly moving8 ,they seem to be bits of stick4 ,i know what they are1 said ,jack1 there is a good fat maggot in each of these cases2 they are caddis-worms4 ,quite right1 and in time they will change to insects4 ,here is another kind2 the house is made of small bits of gravel1 and it is attached to this smooth stone4 ,i will break open the case2 do you see inside is a long cylindrical case1 with a thin covering2 ,i slit this open with my penknife1 and now you see the creature inside4 ,there are a great variety of these caddis-worms1 and most interesting it is to notice the different kind of houses they build4 ,some of the larv live in movable cases1 as we have seen1 some in fixed habitations2 the materials1 too1 out of which the different cases are constructed1 are different1 sometimes they are bits of gravel1 or sand1 wood1 leaves1 grass1 the empty shells of various fresh-water molluscs4 ,the fragments of stick and the small bits of gravel are held together by a kind of cement which the larva spins from his mouth4 ,sometimes we may meet with cases made of sand1 having on either side long slender bits of rush or stick4 ,a lady once took a number of the larv out of their cases1 and placed them in a vessel of water with various materials1 such as coloured glass1 cornelian1 agate1 onyx1 brass filings1 coralline1 tortoiseshell2 and these little maggoty things made use of and built their houses out of them4 ,the perfect insect has four wings2 and from these being closely covered with hairs1 the order to which they belong has received the name of ,trichoptera1 which means having hairy wings4 ,you must know many of these insects2 they are very common near ponds and streams2 generally they fly in a zig-zag fashion1 and have the appearance of moths4 ,illustration3 a1 b1 c1 d4 ,larva1 cocoon1 nympha1 and insect of ,caddis-fly4 ,ah6 here is a splendid bed of the forget-me-not growing on this bank near the stream4 ,look at the blue enamel-like flowers1 each with a yellow centre-eye2 the leaves are bright green and rather rough4 ,there are other species very much resembling this one you may often see in hedgerows and fields2 but they are generally smaller plants2 this one is the true forget-me-not4 ,there are several stories about the origin of the name4 ,here is one3--,many years ago1 a lady and knight were wandering by a river2 the lady espied these bright blue flowers1 on a small islet ,i suppose1 in the deep river1 and wished to possess them4 ,her lover immediately plunged in and plucked the plants1 but the strength of the stream was too much for him on his return4 ,with a great effort1 however1 he threw the flowers on the bank1 exclaiming ,forget-me-not1 and sank6 ,but the lady fair of the knight so true ,still remember'd his hapless lot2 ,and she cherish'd the flower of brilliant hue ,and she braided her hair with the blossoms blue1 ,and she call'd it ',forget-me-not4' ,we must proceed on our walk and not linger too long here1 though1 ,i must own1 it is hard to tear oneself away from the banks of a gently-flowing river4 ,so good-by to ,that blue and bright-eyed flowret of the brook1 ,hope's gentle gem1 the sweet ',forget-me-not4' ,illustration3 ,,goldfinch4 ,as we crossed the road we met two men with cage-traps1 and a slender twig covered thickly with bird-lime4 ,in each cage-trap was a tame goldfinch1 which were the decoy birds4 ,the men had only succeeded in taking one goldfinch--for which they asked half a crown4 ,the decoy birds attract other goldfinches by their call-note2 these sometimes alight on the trap1 which instantly closes upon them2 sometimes they alight on the twig smeared with bird-lime1 which is so sticky that they cannot free themselves from it4 ,gay plumage1 lively habits1 an agreeable form and song1 with a disposition to become attached to those who feed them1 are such strong recommendations1 that the goldfinch has been1 and will probably continue to be1 one of the most general cage favourites4 ,so well also do the birds of this species bear confinement1 that they have been known to live ten years in captivity1 continuing in song the greater part of each year4 ,this tendency to sing and call make them valuable as brace-birds1 decoy-birds1 and call-birds1 to be used by the birdcatcher with his ground nets1 while the facility with which others are captured1 the numbers to be obtained1 and the constant demand for them by the public1 render the goldfinch one of the most important species included within the bird-dealer's traffic4 ,mr4 ,mayhew says that a goldfinch has been known to exist twenty-three years in a cage4 ,the same person tells us that goldfinches are sold in the streets of ,london from sixpence to a shilling each1 and when there is an extra catch1 and the shops are fully stocked1 at threepence and fourpence each4 ,only think1 it is computed that as many as #gj1jjj song birds are captured every year about ,london2 the street sale of the goldfinch being about a tenth of the whole4 ,goldfinches may be taught to perform many amusing tricks1 to draw up water for themselves by a small thimble-sized bucket1 or to raise the lid of a small box to obtain the seed within4 ,a goldfinch has been trained to appear dead2 it could be held up by the tail or claw without exhibiting any signs of life1 or to stand on its head with its claws in the air1 or to imitate a ,dutch milk-maid going to market with pails on its shoulders1 or to appear as a soldier1 keeping guard as sentinel4 ,one was once trained to act as a cannoneer with a cap on its head1 a firelock on its shoulder1 and a match in its claw2 it would then discharge a small cannon4 ,the same bird also acted as if it had been wounded4 ,it was wheeled in a barrow1 to convey it1 as it were1 to the hospital2 after which it flew away before the company4 ,another turned a kind of windmill2 another stood in the midst of some fireworks1 which were discharged all around it1 without showing any fear4 ,when we consider how docile and affectionate many birds become2 when we think of their beauty and the sweet music they pour from their little throats2 when we consider also of what immense use a great number of species are to man in helping to check injurious insects and caterpillars2 does it not seem strange that they meet with so little protection8 ,how often1 as you know1 we have met lads and great strong men with helpless fledglings in their hands1 which they intend to torture in some way or other2 perhaps they will tie strings to their legs and drag them about1 or place them on a large stone and throw at them4 ,to expostulate with them on the wickedness of such barbarous conduct is hopeless2 one might as well quote ,hebrew to a tadpole6 ,how noisy the grasshoppers are1 with their incessant shrill chirpings2 how thoroughly they enjoy the heat and sun6 ,just catch me one or two1 ,willy2 there1 one has hopped just before you2 now he is on that blade of grass4 ,have you got him8 ,no8 ,well1 take this gauze net4 ,now you have him4 ,how does the grasshopper make that peculiar sound8 asked ,may4 ,if you will get near one of these insects while he is making the noise you will see how he does it4 ,there1 one stands on that plantain stem4 ,do you see how briskly he rubs his legs against the wing-covers8 ,now he is quiet1 and his legs are still2 so it is evident that the friction or rubbing of the legs against the wings causes the sound4 ,i rub the thigh of this specimen ,i hold in my hands against the wing4 ,you distinctly hear the shrill sound4 ,it is the males only who make the noise2 the females are mute4 ,some people have described another organ which seems to increase the sound4 ,i have sometimes placed both field-crickets and grasshoppers under a tumbler1 and supplied them with moist blades of grass2 it is curious to see how fast they eat them4 ,you should remember that the grasshopper is a relative of the locust1 to which1 indeed1 it bears a close resemblance2 only the locust is a much larger insect4 ,there are several species of locusts1 and all are extremely injurious4 ,you have read in the ,bible of the fearful damage they are able to cause to the trees and various crops4 ,it is seldom that locusts visit this country1 happily1 for there is not a greater insect scourge in existence4 ,our green grasshopper is also related to the cricket1 so merrily noisy in dwelling-houses4 ,crickets are difficult to get rid of when they have thoroughly established themselves in a house4 ,like many noisy persons1 crickets like to hear nobody louder than themselves2 and some one relates that a woman who had tried in vain every method she could think of to banish them from her house1 at last got rid of them by the noise made by drums and trumpets1 which she had procured to entertain her guests at a wedding4 ,it is said1 but you need not believe the story1 that they instantly forsook the house1 and the woman heard of them no more4 ,possibly some half dozen more women in the house would have had the same effect1 without the musical instruments6 ,what do you say to that idea1 ,may8 ,that is too bad of you1 papa1 but you know you are only joking4 ,illustration3 a1 b1 c4 ,leg1 wing-cover1 and wing of ,grasshopper1 magnified4 ,here is a large pond1 and from this bank we can look down into the water4 ,there are some yellow water-lilies with their broad expanded leaves4 ,i have noticed that the blossoms are often attacked by the larv of some two-winged flies4 ,these flies lay their eggs within the petals1 lily-cradled literally2 the eggs hatch and the larv eat the cradle4 ,i do not know more of these flies3 ,i have often meant to trace their history1 but have somehow forgotten to do so4 ,do you see that pike basking on the top of the water2 how still and motionless he lies4 ,he is a good-sized fish1 at least ,i should say he was four pounds weight4 ,i wish we could catch him1 said ,willy4 ,we have no tackle with us2 besides1 when pike are sunning themselves in that way on the top of the water1 they are seldom inclined to take a bait4 ,what is the largest pike1 asked ,jack1 you ever saw caught8 ,the largest ,i ever saw alive was caught in the canal about five years ago2 it weighed twenty-one pounds1 and was really a splendid fish4 ,what voracious fish they are2 they will often take young ducks1 water-hens and coots1 and will sometimes try to swallow a fish much too large for their throats4 ,it is said that a pike once seized the head of a swan as she was feeding under water1 and gorged so much of it as killed them both4 ,the servants perceiving the swan with its head under water for a longer time than usual1 took the boat and found both swan and pike dead4 ,gesner relates that a pike in the ,rhone seized on the lips of a mule that was brought to water1 and that the beast drew the fish out before it could disengage itself4 ,walton was assured by his friend ,mr4 ,segrave1 who kept tame otters1 that he had known a pike1 in extreme hunger1 fight with one of his otters for a carp that the otter had caught and was then bringing out of the water4 ,a woman in ,poland had her foot seized by a pike as she was washing clothes in a pond4 ,mr4 ,jesse tells the story of a gentleman1 who1 as he was one day walking by the side of the river ,wey1 saw a large pike in a shallow creek4 ,he immediately pulled off his coat1 tucked up his shirt sleeves1 and went into the water to intercept the return of the fish to the river1 and to endeavour to throw it out upon the bank by getting his hands under it4 ,during this attempt the pike1 finding he could not make his escape1 seized one of the arms of the gentleman1 and lacerated it so much that the marks of the wound were visible for a long time afterwards4 ,pike will live to a great age1 ninety years or more4 ,in the year #adig1 according to old ,gesner1 a pike was taken at ,halibrun in ,suabia with a brazen ring attached to it1 on which was the following inscription in ,greek3--,i am the fish which was put into the lake by the hands of the governor of the universe1 ,frederick the ,second1 the #eth of ,october1 #abcj4 ,this pike1 therefore1 would be two hundred and sixty-seven years old2 people said it weighed three hundred and fifty pounds1 and that its skeleton was nineteen feet long4 ,i will show you a picture of this ring in ,gesner's book when we get home4 ,illustration ,,walk ,x4 ,,october4 ,how pleasant is the season of autumn1 with its yellow fields of ripe corn1 and its orchards laden with the fruits of the apple and the pear4 ,but now the golden grain is safely stored4 ,the birds1 too1 have done singing1 with the exception of the robin and the hedge-warbler1 which even in the winter occasionally cheer us with their welcome notes4 ,there are yet1 however1 a few wild flowers to interest us1 and the ferns are still beautiful4 ,the various kinds of fungi are springing up in the fields and woodlands2 it is a charming day for a stroll2 we will drive to the ,wrekin and explore the woods at its base4 ,i am sure we shall be able to meet with many pretty forms4 ,the woods are rendered extremely beautiful by the rich autumnal tints of the foliage4 ,we will go through this wicket and follow the path in the direction of ,ten-,tree ,hill4 ,now1 who will be the first to find the bright scarlet fly agaric8 ,it is a poisonous species1 though so beautiful4 ,we will put the wholesome fungi in one basket and the suspected ones in another4 ,here you see is the elegant parasol fungus1 with its tall stem and top spotted with brown flakes2 it is a most delicious one to eat1 and in my opinion is superior to the common mushroom4 ,shall we find the beefsteak fungus1 papa8 said ,willy4 ,i have never seen it growing here2 the beefsteak fungus prefers to grow on very old oak trees1 and it is1 moreover1 by no means common4 ,it is so called from its resemblance to a beefsteak when cut through2 a reddish gravy-like juice flows from the wound1 and ,i think the whole fungus when young very inviting4 ,i have on three or four occasions eaten this species1 but ,i do not think it a very palatable one1 though perfectly wholesome and doubtless nutritious4 ,here is a quantity of ,amanita phalloides1 very beautiful with its green tints and white stem2 but ,i should not like to eat any of this kind4 ,do you notice what a very unpleasant smell it has8 ,illustration3 ,,fungi4 #a4--;,beef-steak ,fungus4 #b4--,latticed ,stinkhorn1 7very rare47 #c4--;,boletus4 #d4--;,hedgehog ,mushroom4 #e4--;,fly ,agaric4 #f4--;,clavaria4 #g4--;,bird's-nest ,fungus2 b1 ,sporangium of ditto1 magnified4 ,what a number of animals are nailed to that beech-tree6 ,let us see what they are3 two cats1 three weasels1 two stoats1 four jays1 two magpies1 two kestrils1 an owl1 and a sparrow-hawk4 ,the keeper has trapped or shot these as enemies to the game1 and no doubt1 with the exception of the weasels1 owl1 and kestrils1 the other animals often destroy young pheasants or suck their eggs4 ,still ,i should not like to see all wild animals destroyed that occasionally harm game preserves4 ,gamekeepers have strong affection for their hares1 partridges1 and pheasants1 and consider all other wild animals as either enemies or beneath notice4 ,indeed1 a gamekeeper's zoology is confined to five things--pheasants1 partridges1 hares1 rabbits1 and ants' eggs4 ,ah6 ,i do think ,i espy about twenty yards ahead the fly agaric 7,amanita muscaria74 ,to be sure1 here is a fine lot2 some just appearing above ground in the form of scarlet balls2 others fully expanded4 ,how splendid they are6 ,you notice many white patches on their tops2 let us see how these patches are formed4 ,here is a specimen hardly showing itself4 ,i will dig it up4 ,there1 now you see2 the whole fungus is wrapped up in a thin white envelope2 this is called a volva1 from the ,latin word volvo--,i roll up4 ,when the volva breaks1 it leaves scattered patches on the top4 ,the gills are white or yellowish and the stem is bulbous4 ,this is not a very common fungus2 it is1 however1 frequent enough in the woods about the ,wrekin4 ,the effects of this fungus on a person who has eaten it are of an intoxicating nature4 ,dr4 ,badham1 who used to eat various kinds of fungi and has written a very good book on wholesome kinds1 once gathered some specimens of the fly agaric4 ,he sent them to two lady friends1 intending to call soon afterwards and explain that he had sent them on account of their extreme beauty solely4 ,dr4 ,badham did not come1 but these two ladies said1 ,oh1 of course ,dr4 ,badham would never send us anything unwholesome2 let us have some cooked for tea4 ,so they had some cooked and ate thereof1 and were taken very ill4 ,the bad effects1 however1 soon passed away4 ,look at that little squirrel1 see how nimbly he climbs the tree2 now he hides on a forked branch and thinks we do not see him4 ,well1 ,i must not forget to tell you that this fungus1 growing in this spot so plentifully1 is called fly agaric because a decoction of it was once used to destroy flies4 ,the people in ,siberia swallow portions of it to produce intoxication4 ,here is another species closely related to the one we have been considering1 and not unlike it in form2 this is the blushing agaric 7,amanita rubescens72 you see its top also is covered with whitish flakes or warts2 and persons who are not in the habit of noticing differences might confuse this species with the other4 ,now look2 ,i will cut this specimen through with my knife1 and bruise it slightly2 do you see how it changes to a reddish hue1 thus at once distinguishing itself from its unwholesome relative8 ,this quality gives the name to the fungus4 ,the blushing agaric is perfectly wholesome4 ,you remember how often we had it cooked last autumn1 and how delicious it was both for breakfast and dinner4 ,i would never1 however1 advise persons who have not paid attention to the study of fungi to gather and eat them without asking the opinion of some one who had knowledge of the subject2 and ,i am sure that you1 children1 will never think of eating any kind that you have not first brought to me4 ,there sits the squirrel4 ,let us make him show us how he can leap from one bough to another4 ,i clap my hands and ,jack throws a stone1 and off the little fellow goes1 taking wonderful leaps4 ,as the winter approaches the squirrel will be busy laying up stores for consumption during that season1 such as nuts1 acorns1 and beech-mast4 ,for the greater part of the winter the squirrel is dormant2 on fine warm days1 however1 he ventures out of his retreat in the hole of a tree1 visits his cupboard1 cracks a few nuts1 and then goes to sleep again4 ,the nest of the squirrel is made of moss1 leaves1 and twigs curiously intertwined1 and is generally placed between the forked branches2 the young ones1 two or three in number1 are born in the month of ,june4 ,a gentleman1 in a letter to ,mr4 ,jenyns1 says a pair which frequented a tree opposite the window of one of the rooms1 evinced great enmity to a couple of magpies with whom they kept up a perpetual warfare1 pursuing them from branch to branch1 and from tree to tree with untiring agility4 ,whether this persecution arose from natural antipathy between the combatants1 or from jealousy of interference with their nests1 is not known4 ,what are those black circular spots some four or five yards in diameter1 so common in the woods of the ,wrekin8 ,they are places where wood has been burnt for charcoal4 ,always examine such spots1 as you may find rare plants growing upon them which scarcely grow anywhere else4 ,here1 for instance1 is ,flammula carbonaria abundant4 ,on these charcoal spots this fungus delights to grow1 and ,i do not think you will find it elsewhere4 ,mr4 ,worthington ,smith tells us it is a very rare ,british fungus2 it is not mentioned in ,mr4 ,berkley's ',outlines of ,fungology4' ,here is a beautifully marked variety of ,polyporus perennis1 also very rare2 it is tinted with rich sienna1 chocolate1 and black2 it is found only in these charcoal rings4 ,let us go farther on4 ,look at that splendid bright1 orange-yellow fungus growing amongst the moss in large tufts as it were4 ,each plant has a tender stem with short branches2 what a number are growing together with roots or lower portions of the stem closely intertwined6 ,this is ,clavaria fastigiata4 ,here we meet with the sticky ,gomphidius viscidus1 and here with the handsome ,tricholoma scalpturatus1 and the lovely ,t4 rutilans4 ,i am obliged to use ,latin names as there are no ,english ones4 ,the ground here is covered with the small ,clitocyle fragrans2 it smells like newly-mown hay4 ,and now we meet with various ,boleti4 ,look at the under surface2 you see it is riddled with numerous small holes1 very unlike the gills of the mushroom and all agarics4 ,we shall find ,boletus luteus1 ,b4 flavus1 ,b4 edulis1 ,b4 scaber1 the handsome but poisonous ,b4 luridus4 ,boletus edulis is1 as its name imports1 very good to eat and perfectly wholesome2 so1 too1 is ,b4 scaber and ,b4 luteus4 ,holloa6 what bird has just fled before us8 it is a woodcock evidently1 and has probably lately arrived in this country from the south of ,europe1 though woodcocks occasionally reside here all through the year4 ,the woodcock is a very handsome bird with its dark mottled brown plumage1 long bill1 and large1 full1 black eyes4 ,what do these birds feed upon8 asked ,willy4 ,you often hear people say they live upon suction1 and do not eat any food4 ,that ,i fancy is a common belief amongst sportsmen4 ,it is1 however1 altogether a mistake2 for these birds eat quantities of earthworms1 as has frequently been witnessed4 ,i will give an instance of this in the case of a woodcock kept in an aviary somewhere in ,spain4 ,there was a fountain perpetually flowing to keep the ground moist and trees planted for the same purpose2 fresh sod was brought to it1 the richest in worms that could be found4 ,in vain did the worms seek concealment2 when the woodcock was hungry it discovered them by the smell1 stuck its beak into the ground1 but never higher than the nostrils1 drew them out singly1 and raising its bill into the air1 it extended upon it the whole length of the worm1 and in this way swallowed it smoothly without any action of the jaws4 ,this whole operation was performed in an instant1 and the action of the woodcock was so equal and imperceptible that it seemed doing nothing2 it never missed its aim2 for this reason1 and because it never plunged its bill beyond the orifice of the nostrils1 it was concluded that the bird was directed to its food by smell4 ,there is one very interesting point in the natural history of the woodcock which ,i must not forget to mention4 ,the old birds sometimes carry their little ones from the place where they are hatched down to soft marshy places to feed on the worms and insect larv found there2 they take them in the evening and return with them in the morning4 ,but how do they carry them8 asked ,may4 ,some observers have said they are carried in the claws1 but ,mr4 ,st4 ,john maintains that the little birds are clasped tightly between the thighs4 ,is it not a difficult thing to tell the difference between the male and female woodcock8 asked ,willy4 ,yes1 ,i do not think it is possible in every case to tell the difference2 the male bird is smaller than the female of the same age1 and there are slight differences in the colour of the plumage1 but as you may meet with birds of different ages1 and as woodcocks are much subject to variation of plumage1 it is difficult to pronounce whether this woodcock is a male and that a female4 ,oh1 papa1 what are these ring-marks on the end of this bit of timber upon which we are sitting8 said ,willy4 ,these rings or zones represent the various growths made every year by the tree when it was growing1 each zone being the produce of one year4 ,as the wood ceases to grow for some months in the winter1 a distinction in appearance between the last wood of a former and the first wood of the succeeding year is occasioned2 so that1 in our own country at least1 the age of a tree can be ascertained within some limit by counting the number of zones2 there is1 however1 great difference in the size of the same species of trees1 even of the same age1 and great difference too in the width of the zones2 indeed1 you can see this in the case of the wood we have been sitting upon4 ,see how the zones differ1 how broad some are1 how narrow are others2 nay1 even in one year you see how the zone varies4 ,the subject of the growth of trees is very interesting1 and ,i would advise you1 when you get older1 to pay some attention to it4 ,here is another fungus1 and a species which ,i am very glad to find in the ,wrekin woods1 though it grows but sparingly4 ,take it up2 turn it over4 ,how curious6 the under side is not a series of gills1 as in ,agaricus1 nor a substance perforated by a number of little holes1 as in ,boletus4 ,it is formed of a quantity of delicate white teeth or spines2 see how beautiful they are and how easily broken4 ,the spines are exactly like miniature awls4 ,it is called from the prickly appearance of the under surface1 or hymenium1 the hedgehog mushroom 7,hydnum repandum74 ,is it good to eat8 asked ,jack4 ,it is1 in my opinion1 one of the most exquisite fungi that grows1 and the most curious thing about it is that its flavour very strongly resembles oysters4 ,last year we had some of these fellows cut up in bits about the size of a bean and stewed in white sauce2 the sauce we ate with a beefsteak at dinner1 and ,i do think that as far as flavour is concerned one might almost pass it off as oyster sauce without any one finding it out4 ,not that the hedgehog-mushroom-sauce is really as good as oyster sauce1 but1 as ,i said1 the flavour strongly reminds one of it1 nor do ,i think that any fungi1 delicious as they are1 can ever come up to oysters1 the ne-plus-ultra of exquisite food4 ,it is getting towards evening and we must not linger much longer4 ,how many eatable fungi have we got8 let me count4 ,lepiota procera1 ,amanita rubescens1 ,hydnum repandum1 and ,marasmius oreades which we gathered in the meadow before we entered the wood4 ,we will take them home1 they will come in very well either at breakfast or at dinner time4 ,the other fungi we will also take home and compare them with the descriptions and drawings in my books4 99 99 99 99 99 ,and now our rambles are ended2 we have seen there is much to notice1 much to admire4 ,let us never forget our great ,creator who has made all the beautiful things we see around us2 let us learn this lesson from the contemplation of the works of the ,almighty--that as all created things are fulfilling their appointed work1 so we too should fulfil ours1 and by obedience1 diligence1 kindness1 and patience show our love of ,him for whose pleasure all things are1 and were created4 ,illustration ,,printed ,,by ,j4 ,e4 ,,adlard1 ,,bartholomew ,,close4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,new ,,works ,,and ,,new ,,editions ,,recently ,,published ,,by ,,groombridge ,,and ,,sons #e1 ,,paternoster ,,row1 ,,london4 ,,dedicated ,,to ,,the ,,right ,,hon4 ,,lord ,,lytton4 ,in one handsome ,volume1 ,foolscap ,quarto1 cloth gilt1 price #bes4 ,,womankind ,,in ,,western ,,europe1 ,,from ,,the ,,earliest ,,ages ,,to ,,the ,,seventeenth ,,century4 ,by ,,thomas ,,wright1 ,m4,a41 ,f4,s4,a4 ,illustrated with numerous ,coloured ,plates and ,wood ,engravings4 ,it is something more than a drawing-room ornament4 ,it is an elaborate and careful summary of all that one of our most learned antiquaries1 after years of pleasant labour on a very pleasant subject1 has been able to learn as to the condition of women from the earliest times4 ,it is beautifully illustrated1 both in colours--mainly from ancient illuminations--and also by a profusion of woodcuts1 portraying the various fashions by which successive ages of our history have been marked4--,the ,times4 ,in one handsome ,volume1 ,super-royal ,quarto1 cloth gilt1 price #bas4 ,,rural ,,churches ,,their ,,histories2 ,,architecture1 ,,and ,,antiquities4 ,by ,,sidney ,,corner4 ,with ,coloured ,illustrations from ,paintings by the ,author4 ,illustrations of some of those of the ,churches of our country that are most interesting1 either from their association or from the picturesque beauty of their situations2 each ,illustration being accompanied by a full descriptive account of the ,history1 ,architecture1 and ,antiquities of the ,church1 together with information on subjects of interest in its neighbourhood4 ,large ,crown #hvo1 cloth gilt1 price #ajs4 #f;d4 ,,gravemounds ,,and ,,their ,,contents4 ,by ,,llewellynn ,,jewitt1 ,f4,s4,a4 ,illustrated with more than ,three ,hundred ,illustrations4 ,the ,books in this ,catalogue may be ordered through any ,bookseller1 or the ,publishers will forward them direct 7post paid7 on receipt of their value in ,postage ,stamps or ,post-,office ,order4 ,,new ,,edition ,,of ,,the ,,works ,,of ,,grace ,,aguilar ,this elegant ,edition1 large crown #hvo1 is printed from new type1 on paper made especially for the series1 handsomely bound1 and illustrated by the leading ,artists of the day4 ,,home ,,influence4 ,a ,tale for ,mothers and ,daughters4 ,crown #hvo1 ,illustrated1 cloth gilt1 #es4 ,,the ,,mother',s ,,recompense4 ,a ,sequel to ,home ,influence4 ,with ,illustrations1 ,crown #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #fs4 ,,woman',s ,,friendship4 ,a ,story of ,domestic ,life4 ,crown #hvo1 ,illustrated1 cloth gilt1 #es4 ,,the ,,vale ,,of ,,cedars2 ,,or1 ,,the ,,martyr4 ,crown #hvo1 ,illustrated1 cloth gilt1 #es4 ,,the ,,days ,,of ,,bruce4 ,a ,story from ,scottish ,history4 ,crown #hvo1 ,illustrated1 cloth gilt1 #fs4 ,,home ,,scenes ,,and ,,heart ,,studies4 ,crown #hvo1 ,illustrated1 cloth gilt1 #es4 ,,the ,,women ,,of ,,israel4 ,characters and ,sketches from the ,holy ,scriptures1 ,illustrated4 ,crown #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #fs4 ,,criticisms ,,on ,,grace ,,aguilar',s ,,works4 ,,home ,,influence4--,to those who really knew ,grace ,aguilar1 all eulogium falls short of her deserts1 and she has left a blank in her particular walk of literature1 which we never expect to see filled up4--,pilgrimages to ,english ,shrines1 by ,mrs ,s4 ,c4 ,hall4 ,,mother',s ,,recompense4--',the ,mother's ,recompense' forms a fitting close to its predecessor1 ',home ,influence4' ,the results of maternal care are fully developed1 its rich rewards are set forth1 and its lesson and its moral are powerfully enforced4--,morning ,post4 ,,woman',s ,,friendship4--,we congratulate ,miss ,aguilar on the spirit1 motive1 and composition of this story4 ,her aims are eminently moral1 and her cause comes recommended by the most beautiful associations4 ,these1 connected with the skill here evinced in their development1 ensure the success of her labours4--,illustrated ,news4 ,,vale ,,of ,,cedars4--,the ,authoress of this most fascinating volume has selected for her field one of the most remarkable eras in modern history--the reigns of ,ferdinand and ,isabella4444 ,it is marked by much power of description1 and by a woman's delicacy of touch1 and it will add to its writer's well-earned reputation4--,eclectic ,review4 ,,days ,,of ,,bruce4--,the tale is well told1 the interest warmly sustained throughout1 and the delineation of female character is marked by a delicate sense of moral beauty4 ,it is a work that may be confided to the hands of a daughter by her parent4--,court ,journal4 ,,home ,,scenes4--,grace ,aguilar knew the female heart better than any writer of our day1 and in every fiction from her pen we trace the same masterly analysis and development of the motives and feelings of woman's nature4--,critic4 ,,women ,,of ,,israel4--,a work that is sufficient of itself to create and crown a reputation4--,mrs4 ,s4 ,c4 ,hall4 ,,groombridge ,,sons1 #e1 ,,paternoster ,,row1 ,,london4 ,,shilling ,,gift ,,books ,,for ,,young ,,people4 ,each ,book sent ,post ,free for #ab ,stamps4 ,,union ,,jack2 ,,and ,,other ,,stories4 ,,by ,,mrs4 ,s4 ,c4 ,,hall4 ,illustrated with #ae ,wood ,engravings4 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #as4 ,mrs4 ,hall has written a charming story4 ,the scene is laid in ,ireland4 ,the characters are for the most part ,irish1 and the name of the tale is ',union ,jack4' ,it is written with much simplicity1 and is calculated to amuse men and women as well as children1 for whom it is professedly written4--,western ,daily ,mercury4 ,,the ,,town ,,of ,,toys2 ,,and ,,other ,,stories4 ,,by ,,sara ,,wood4 ,illustrated with #ae ,wood ,engravings4 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #as4 ,one of the best of the series2 the narrative is clearly and concisely written1 the subject matter is good1 and above all it is replete with that sustained interest1 without which children's stories become worse than useless4--,english ,churchman4 ,,no ,,man',s ,,land2 ,,and ,,other ,,stories4 ,,by ,t4 ,,miller4 ,illustrated with #ae ,wood ,engravings4 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #as4 ,a series of very amusing and instructive tales for children1 written by a talented author4--,brighton ,gazette4 ,,the ,,sea ,,spleenwort2 ,,and ,,other ,,stories4 ,,by ,,the ,,author ,,of ,,the ,,heir ,,of ,,redclyffe4 ,illustrated with #ae ,wood ,engravings4 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #as4 ,a capital little book for children1 both amusing and instructive4--,liverpool ,daily ,post4 ,,lottie',s ,,half-,,sovereign2 ,,and ,,other ,,stories4 ,,by ,,mrs4 ,,russell ,,gray4 ,illustrated with #ae ,wood ,engravings4 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #as4 ,the story before us is a most delightful one1 and such as may be placed in the hands of any child with the utmost confidence4--,hull ,advertiser4 ,,the ,,shepherd ,,lord2 ,,and ,,other ,,stories4 ,,by ,,julia ,,corner4 ,illustrated with #ae ,wood ,engravings4 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #as4 ,we cannot imagine a better book for children educated at home2 it combines the fascination of romance with the truth of history1 and will be eagerly devoured by the youth of both sexes4--,somerset ,county ,herald4 ,,the ,,captive',s ,,daughter2 and other stories4 ,,by ,w4 ,,heard ,,hillyard4 ,illustrated with #ae ,wood ,engravings4 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #as4 ,if one were asked to select a series of stories most suitable for presents to children1 and affording real pleasure in their perusal to 'children of a larger growth1' very few would hesitate to name this series as the very first and best of the class4--,coventry ,herald4 ,,the ,,orphans ,,of ,,elfholm2 and other stories4 ,,by ,,frances ,,browne4 ,illustrated with #ae ,wood ,engravings4 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #as4 ,a book to be prized by the young1 for its several tales are well written and full of touching interest4--,city ,press4 ,,when ,,we ,,were ,,young2 and other stories4 ,,by ,,the ,,author ,,of ,a ,,trap ,,to ,,catch ,a ,,sunbeam4 ,illustrated with #ae ,wood ,engravings4 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #as4 ,the precept of moral courage which it inculcates1 coupled with its excellent tone throughout1 stamps it at once as being of the right sort4--,english ,churchman4 ,,not ,,clever2 and other stories4 ,,by ,,frances ,m4 ,,wilbraham4 ,illustrated with #ae ,wood ,engravings4 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #as4 ,pure in tone1 full of interest1 well got up1 and cheap4--,hereford ,times4 ,,dear ,,charlotte',s ,,boys2 and other stories4 ,,by ,,emily ,,taylor4 ,illustrated with #ae ,wood ,engravings4 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #as4 ,we are glad to receive a volume of these pretty stories4 ,there is something refreshing in them1 scarcely to be found in any other publication4--,city ,press4 ,,the ,,story ,,of ,,nelson2 and other stories4 ,,by ,w4 ,h4 ,g4 ,,kingston4 ,illustrated with #ae ,wood ,engravings4 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #as4 ,mr4 ,kingston1 with great skill1 brings out the stirring events of the great ,admiral's life from the lips of an old ,greenwich pensioner4 ,the story is told with all the enthusiasm of a true ',salt1' and has the further merit of capital descriptive writing4--,plymouth ,journal4 ,,blind ,,ursula2 ,,and ,,other ,,stories4 ,,by ,,mrs4 ,,webb4 ,illustrated with #ae ,wood ,engravings4 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #as4 ,a domestic tale of humble life1 which will well repay perusal4 ,there is an excellent tone1 moral and religious1 throughout the narrative4--,leeds ,intelligencer4 ,,sea-,,shell ,,island2 ,,and ,,other ,,stories4 ,,by ,g4 ,e4 ,,sargent4 ,illustrated with #ae ,wood ,engravings4 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #as4 ,an exceeding pretty story4--,somersetshire ,county ,herald4 ,,which ,,was ,,the ,,bravest8 ,,and ,,other ,,stories4 ,,by ,l4 ,a4 ,,hall4 ,illustrated with #ae ,wood ,engravings4 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #as4 ,a tale of the ,christmas holidays on the banks of the ,shannon1 intended to show1 by the conduct of a party of young people1 that rashness and disobedience are no proofs of courage4 ,it should be widely spread1 for the spirit of the little book is excellent4 ,the engravings are appropriate and pleasing4--,plymouth ,journal4 ,,the ,,clockmaker ,,of ,,lyons2 ,,and ,,other ,,stories4 ,,by ,e4 ,m4 ,,piper4 ,illustrated with #ae ,wood ,engravings4 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #as4 ,an interesting tale1 forming one of ,messrs4 ,groombridge's ,series of ,gift ,books1 and by no means the worst of the series4--,cheltenham ,journal4 ,,the ,,angel ,,unawares2 ,,and ,,other ,,stories4 ,,by ,,mary ,,howitt4 ,illustrated with #ae ,wood ,engravings4 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #as4 ,a pretty story of kindness rewarded by success4 ,the principal actors are children1 and the teaching of the story1 while it is full of point for older learners1 is adapted especially to the capacity of youth4--,plymouth and ,devonport ,journal4 ,,historical ,,dramas4 ,,by ,,the ,,author ,,of ,,the ,,heir ,,of ,,redclyffe4 ,illustrated with #ae ,wood ,engravings4 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #as4 ,combines amusement with instruction in a way that must please the rising generation4--,renfrewshire ,independent4 ,,lost ,,in ,,the ,,wood2 ,,and ,,other ,,stories4 ,,by ,,mrs4 ,,gilchrist4 ,illustrated with #ae ,wood ,engravings4 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #as4 ,perfectly healthy in tone1 and highly interesting1 these tales are indeed most suitable for family reading4--,gloucester ,mercury4 ,,rainbow',s ,,rest2 ,,and ,,other ,,stories4 ,,by ,,thomas ,,hood4 ,illustrated with #ae ,wood ,engravings4 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 #as4 ,these are excellent stories for children1 and nicely got up and illustrated4--,paisley ,herald4 ,a ,,complete ,,set ,,of ,,the ,,twenty ,,volumes1 ,,viz43-- ,,union ,,jack4 ,by ,mrs4 ,s4 ,c4 ,,hall4 ,,town ,,of ,,toys4 ,by ,,sara ,,wood4 ,,no ,,man',s ,,land4 ,by ,t4 ,,miller4 ,,sea ,,spleenwort4 ,by ,author of ,the ,heir of ,redclyffe4 ,,lottie',s ,,half-,,sovereign4 ,by ,mrs4 ,,russell ,,gray4 ,,the ,,shepherd ,,lord4 ,by ,,julia ,,corner4 ,,the ,,captive',s ,,daughter4 ,by ,w4 ,,heard ,,hillyard4 ,,the ,,orphans ,,of ,,elfholm4 ,by ,,frances ,,browne4 ,,when ,,we ,,were ,,young4 ,by ,author of ,a ,trap to ,catch a ,sunbeam4 ,,not ,,clever4 ,by ,,frances ,m4 ,,wilbraham4 ,,dear ,,charlotte',s ,,boys4 ,by ,,emily ,,taylor4 ,,story ,,of ,,nelson4 ,by ,w4 ,h4 ,g4 ,,kingston4 ,,blind ,,ursula4 ,by ,mrs4 ,,webb4 ,,sea-,,shell ,,island4 ,by ,g4 ,e4 ,,sargent4 ,,which ,,was ,,the ,,bravest8 ,by ,l4 ,a4 ,,hall4 ,,the ,,clockmaker ,,of ,,lyons4 ,by ,e4 ,m4 ,,piper4 ,,the ,,angel ,,unawares4 ,by ,,mary ,,howitt4 ,,historical ,,dramas4 ,by ,author of ,the ,heir of ,redclyffe4 ,,lost ,,in ,,the ,,wood4 ,by ,mrs4 ,,gilchrist4 ,,rainbow',s ,,rest4 ,by ,,thomas ,,hood4 ,enclosed in a ,box1 #bjs4 ,we have read most of them with great care1 for we are very watchful over books for the young1 and can assure our readers they are well worth a mother's attention4 ,they vary in interest and in moral value1 but all of them are calculated both to amuse and instruct4 ,some convey valuable historical information1 others lessons in natural history1 and most of them convey a healthy moral influence4 ,all are subservient to religion as well as morals1 but they are not tinctured with any ism1 nor do they inculcate any peculiar tenets4--,british ,mothers' ,journal4 ,,groombridge ,,sons1 #e1 ,,paternoster ,,row1 ,,london4 ,,groombridge',s ,,shilling ,,practical ,,manuals4 ,each ,book sent post free for #ab stamps4 #a4 ,,home-,,made ,,wines4 ,how to ,make and ,keep them1 with remarks on preparing the fruit1 fining1 bottling1 and storing4 ,by ,g4 ,,vine4 ,contains ,apple1 ,apricot1 ,beer1 ,bilberry1 ,blackberry1 ,cherry1 ,clary1 ,cowslip1 ,currant1 ,damson1 ,elderberry1 ,gooseberry1 ,ginger1 ,grape1 ,greengage1 ,lemon1 ,malt1 ,mixed ,fruit1 ,mulberry1 ,orange1 ,parsnip1 ,raspberry1 ,rhubarb1 ,raisin1 ,sloe1 ,strawberry1 ,turnip1 ,vine ,leaf1 and ,mead4 #b4 ,,carving ,,made ,,easy2 or1 ,practical ,instructions for ,diners ,out4 ,illustrated with ,engravings of ,fish1 ,flesh1 and ,fowl1 and appropriate instructions1 whereby a complete and skilful knowledge of the useful art of ,carving may be attained1 and the usages of the ,dinner ,table duly observed4 ,by ,a4 ,,merrythought4 #c4 ,,singing ,,made ,,easier ,,for ,,amateurs1 explaining the pure ,italian ,method of ,producing and ,cultivating the ,voice2 the ,management of the ,breath2 the best way of ,improving the ,ear2 with much other valuable information equally valuable to ,professional ,singers and ,amateurs4 #d4 ,,cottage ,,farming2 or1 ,how to ,cultivate from ,two to ,twenty ,acres1 including the ,management of ,cows1 ,pigs1 and ,poultry4 ,by ,,martin ,,doyle4 ,contains1 ,on ,enclosing a ,farm1 ,land ,drainage1 ,manures1 ,management of a ,two-acre ,farm1 ,cow ,keeping1 ,the ,dairy1 ,pig ,keeping1 ,bees and ,poultry1 ,management of a ,ten-acre ,farm1 ,flax and ,rape1 ,management of a ,farm of ,twenty ,acres1 ,farm ,buildings1 etc4 #e4 ,,market ,,gardening1 giving in detail the various methods adopted by ,gardeners in growing the ,strawberry1 ,rhubarb1 ,filberts1 ,early ,potatoes1 ,asparagus1 ,sea ,kale1 ,cabbages1 ,cauliflowers1 ,celery1 ,beans1 ,peas1 ,brussels ,sprouts1 ,spinach1 ,radishes1 ,lettuce1 ,onions1 ,carrots1 ,turnips1 ,water ,cress1 etc4 ,by ,,james ,,cuthill1 ,f4,r4,h4,s4 #f4 ,,cottage ,,cookery4 ,containing ,simple ,instructions upon ,money1 ,time1 ,management of ,provisions1 ,firing1 ,utensils1 ,choice of ,provisions1 ,modes of ,cooking1 ,stews1 ,soups1 ,broths1 ,puddings1 ,pies1 ,fat1 ,pastry1 ,vegetables1 ,modes of ,dressing ,meat1 ,bread1 ,cakes1 ,buns1 ,salting or ,curing ,meat1 ,frugality and ,cheap ,cookery1 ,charitable ,cookery1 ,cookery for the ,sick and ,young ,children4 ,by ,,esther ,,copley4 #g4 ,,clerk',s ,,dictionary ,,of ,,commercial ,,terms2 containing ,explanations of upwards of ,three ,hundred ,terms used in ,business and ,merchants' ,offices4 ,by the ,author of ,common ,blunders in ,speaking and ,writing ,corrected4 ,an indispensable book for all young men entering a counting-house for the first time4 #h4 ,,the ,,cat1 ,its ,history and ,diseases1 with ,method of ,administering ,medicine4 ,by the ,honourable ,,lady ,,cust4 #i4 ,,elocution ,,made ,,easy for ,clergymen1 ,public ,speakers1 and ,readers1 ,lecturers1 ,actors4 ,theatrical ,amateurs1 and all who wish to speak well and effectively in ,public or ,private4 ,by ,,charles ,,hartley4 ,contents3 ,cultivation of the ,speaking ,voice1 ,management of the ,voice1 ,pausing1 ,taking ,breath1 ,pitch1 ,articulation1 ,pronunciation1 ,the ,aspirate1 ,the ,letter ,e1 ,emphasis1 ,tone1 ,movement1 ,feeling and ,passion1 ,verse1 ,scriptural ,reading1 ,stammering and ,stuttering1 ,action1 ,acting1 ,reciting1 etc4 #aj4 ,,oratory ,,made ,,easy4 ,a ,guide to the ,composition of ,speeches4 ,by ,,charles ,,hartley4 ,contents3 ,introduction1 ,power of ,art1 ,various ,kinds of ,oratory1 ,prepared ,speech1 ,constructing a ,speech1 ,short ,speeches1 ,command of ,language1 ,reading and ,thinking1 ,style1 ,hasty ,composition1 ,forming a ,style1 ,copiousness and ,conciseness1 ,diction or ,language1 ,purity and ,propriety1 ,misapplied ,words1 ,monosyllables1 ,specific ,terms1 ,variety of ,language1 ,too ,great ,care about ,words1 ,epithets1 ,precision1 ,synonymes1 ,perspicuity1 ,long and ,short ,sentences1 ,tropes and ,figures1 ,metaphor1 ,simile1 etc4 #aa4 ,,the ,,grammatical ,,remembrancer2 or1 ,aids for correct ,speaking1 ,writing1 and ,spelling1 for ,adults4 ,by ,,charles ,,hartley4 ,contents3 ,introduction1 ,neglect of ,english ,grammar1 ,divisions of ,grammar1 ,parts of ,speech1 ,the ,article1 ,the ,silent ,h1 ,nouns1 ,formation of the ,plural1 ,genders of ,nouns1 ,cases of ,nouns1 ,comparison of ,adjectives1 ,personal ,pronouns1 ,relative ,pronouns1 ,demonstrative ,pronouns1 ,regular and ,irregular ,verbs1 ,shall and ,will1 ,the ,adverb1 ,misapplication of ,words1 ,division of ,words1 ,capital ,letters1 ,rules for ,spelling ,double l and p1 ,a ,short ,syntax1 ,punctuation1 etc4 #ab4 ,,the ,,canary4 ,its ,history1 ,varieties1 ,management1 and ,breeding1 with ,coloured ,frontispiece4 ,by ,,richard ,,avis4 ,contains1 ,history of the ,canary1 ,varieties of the ,canary1 ,food and ,general ,management1 ,cages1 ,breeding1 ,education of the ,young1 ,mules1 ,diseases1 etc4 #ac4 ,,bird ,,preserving and ,bird ,mounting1 and the ,preservation of ,birds' ,eggs1 with a ,chapter on ,bird ,catching4 ,by ,,richard ,,avis4 #ad4 ,,wine ,,guide2 or1 ,practical ,hints on the ,purchase and ,management of ,foreign ,wines1 their ,history1 and a complete catalogue of all those in present use1 together with remarks upon the treatment of ,spirits1 ,bottled ,beer1 and ,cider4 ,to which is appended ,instructions for the ,cellar1 and other information valuable to the ,consumer as well as the ,dealer4 ,by ,,frederick ,c4 ,,mills4 ,,groombridge ,,sons1 #e1 ,paternoster ,row1 ,london4 ,,gift ,,books ,,at ,,one ,,shilling ,,and ,,sixpence4 ,these well-written and beautiful ,stories are lively1 instructive1 and moral2 their endeavour is to teach2 to entertain while they improve--to inform the mind and educate the heart4 ,each volume1 crown #hvo1 is printed from new type1 on paper made especially for the series1 handsomely bound1 and illustrated by the leading ,artists of the day4 ,they are among the best and cheapest books published for young people4 ,,oscar3 ,a ,,tale ,,of ,,norway4 ,,and ,,other ,,stories4 ,,containing ,,oscar3 a ,tale of ,norway2 ,,home ,,at ,,the ,,haven2 ,,the ,,foundling ,,of ,,the ,,wreck4 ,,the ,,children ,,and ,,the ,,sage4 ,,and ,,other ,,stories4 ,,containing ,,the ,,children ,,and ,,the ,,sage3 a ,story of ,galileo2 ,,the ,,seeker ,,and ,,the ,,finder3 a ,story of ,columbus2 ,,the ,,story ,,of ,,wellington4 ,,alfred ,,the ,,great4 ,,and ,,other ,,stories ,,from ,,history4 ,,containing ,,alfred ,,the ,,great2 ,,the ,,king ,,and ,,the ,,bondmen2 ,,the ,,crusaders4 ,,round ,,the ,,world4 ,,and ,,other ,,stories4 ,,containing ,,round ,,the ,,world2 ,,the ,,prophet ,,and ,,the ,,lost ,,city2 ,,the ,,ship ,,and ,,the ,,island4 ,,moffat1 ,,the ,,missionary4 ,,and ,,other ,,stories4 ,,containing ,,moffat1 ,,the ,,missionary2 ,,halcyon ,,days2 ,,the ,,rewards ,,of ,,industry4 ,,louis ,,duval4 ,,and ,,other ,,stories4 ,,containing ,,louis ,,duval3 a ,story of the ,french ,revolution2 ,,the ,,sea ,,kings2 ,,the ,,young ,,emigrants4 ,,groombridge ,,sons1 #e1 ,,paternoster ,,row1 ,,london4 ,crown #hvo1 elegantly bound1 cloth gilt1 ,illustrated with #h beautifully coloured full-page ,plates and numerous ,wood ,engravings1 price #cs4 #f;d4 ,,the ,,microscope ,a ,popular ,description of some of the most ,beautiful and ,instructive ,objects for ,exhibition4 ,with ,directions for the ,arrangement of the ,instruments and the ,collection and ,mounting of ,objects4 ,,by ,,the ,,hon4 ,,mrs4 ,,ward4 ,this elegant book deserves at our hands especial commendation for many reasons4 ,there is no book that we know of that we would more willingly place in the hands of a beginner to create an interest in the science of ,microscopy4 ,the ,illustrations are beautiful1 coloured to represent nature1 and all original4 ,to our readers we cannot give better advice than to become purchasers of the book--they will not regret the outlay4--,electrician4 ,,groombridge ,,sons1 #e1 ,paternoster ,row1 ,london4 99 99 99 99 99 ,crown #hvo1 elegantly bound1 cloth gilt1 ,illustrated with #ab beautifully coloured full-page ,plates and numerous ,wood ,engravings1 price #cs4 #f;d4 ,,the ,,telescope ,a ,,familiar ,,sketch ,,combining ,a ,,special ,,notice ,,of ,,objects ,,coming ,,within ,,the ,,range ,,of ,a ,,small ,,telescope ,with a ,detail of the most ,interesting ,discoveries which have been made with the assistance of powerful ,telescopes1 concerning the ,phenomena of the ,heavenly ,bodies4 ,,by ,,the ,,hon4 ,,mrs4 ,,ward4 ,it is with pleasure that we direct the reader's attention to a little gem lately published by the ,hon4 ,mrs4 ,,ward4 ,one of the most admirable little works on one of the most sublime subjects that has been given to the world4 ,the main design of the book is to show how much may be done in astronomy with ordinary powers and instruments4 ,we have no hesitation in saying that we never saw a work of the kind that is so perfect4 ,the illustrations are admirable1 and are all original4--,western ,daily ,press4 ,,groombridge ,,sons1 #e1 ,paternoster ,row1 ,london4 ,crown #hvo1 elegantly bound1 cloth gilt1 ,illustrated with #h full-page coloured ,plates and numerous ,wood ,engravings1 price #cs4 #f;d4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,country ,,walks ,,of ,a ,,naturalist ,,with ,,his ,,children4 ,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,w4 ,,houghton1 ,m4,a41 ,f4,l4,s4 ,a fresher1 pleasanter1 or more profitable book than this has rarely issued from the press4--,art ,journal4 ,contrives to furnish a large amount of interesting natural history in brief compass and in a picturesque and engaging manner4--,pall ,mall ,gazette4 ,it is wonderful what a very large amount of most instructive matter connected with the animal and plant world the writer has condensed into a small compass4--,land and ,water4 ,this pretty little volume forms one of the best little books on popular ,natural ,history1 and is admirably adapted as a present to the young4--,birmingham ,daily ,journal4 ,,groombridge ,,sons1 #e1 ,paternoster ,row1 ,london4 99 99 99 99 99 ,crown #hvo1 elegantly bound1 cloth gilt1 ,illustrated with #h beautifully coloured full-page ,plates and numerous ,wood ,engravings1 price #cs4 #f;d4 ,,sea-,,side ,,walks ,,of ,a ,,naturalist ,,with ,,his ,,children4 ,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,w4 ,,houghton1 ,m4,a41 ,f4,l4,s4 ,the wonders of the sea-shore are detailed in an easy1 pleasant1 and lucid style4--,examiner4 ,the book is very attractive1 and its usefulness is enhanced by its many careful illustrations4--,daily ,telegraph4 ,families visiting the sea-side should provide themselves with this convenient and instructive work4--,the ,queen4 ,it is pleasingly written1 and the scientific information is correct and well selected4--,athenum4 ,,groombridge ,,sons1 #e1 ,paternoster ,row1 ,london4 99 99 99 99 99 ,crown #hvo1 elegantly bound1 cloth gilt1 ,illustrated with #h beautifully coloured full-page ,plates and #ij ,wood ,engravings1 price #cs4 #f;d4 ,,field ,,flowers ,a ,,handy ,,book for ,,the ,,rambling ,,botanist1 ,,suggesting ,,what ,,to ,,look ,,for ,,and ,,where ,,to ,,go ,,in ,,the ,,out-,,door ,,study ,,of ,,british ,,plants4 ,,by ,,shirley ,,hibberd1 ,f4,r4,h4,s4 ,it will serve as an excellent introduction to the practical study of wild flowers4--,the ,queen4 ,we cannot praise too highly the illustrations which crowd the pages of this handbook2 the coloured plates are especially attractive1 and serve to bring before us very distinctly the most prominent flowers of the field1 the heaths1 and the hedgerows4--,examiner4 ,,groombridge ,,sons1 #e1 ,paternoster ,row1 ,london4 99 99 99 99 99 ,crown #hvo2 elegantly bound1 cloth gilt2 illustrated with #h beautifully coloured ,plates and #dj ,wood ,engravings1 price #cs4 #f;d4 ,,the ,,fern ,,garden ,,how ,,to ,,make1 ,,keep1 ,,and ,,enjoy ,,it ,,or1 ,,fern ,,culture ,,made ,,easy4 ,,by ,,shirley ,,hibberd1 ,f4,r4,h4,s4 ,,contents4 ,,ferns ,,in ,,general ,,fern ,,collecting ,,how ,,to ,,form ,,an ,,outdoor ,,fernery ,,cultivation ,,of ,,rock ,,ferns ,,cultivation ,,of ,,marsh ,,ferns ,,ferns ,,in ,,pots ,,the ,,fern ,,house ,,the ,,fernery ,,at ,,the ,,fireside ,,management ,,of ,,fern ,,cases ,,the ,,art ,,of ,,multiplying ,,ferns ,,british ,,ferns ,,cultivation ,,of ,,greenhouse ,,stove ,,ferns ,,select ,,greenhouse ,,ferns ,,select ,,stove ,,ferns ,,tree ,,ferns ,,fern ,,allies ,,groombridge ,,sons1 #e1 ,paternoster ,row1 ,london4 99 99 99 99 99 ,crown #hvo1 elegantly bound1 gilt edges1 ,illustrated with #ab beautifully coloured ,engravings1 price #cs4 #fs4 ,,the ,,canary ,,its ,,varieties1 ,,management1 ,,and ,,breeding ,,with ,,portraits ,,of ,,the ,,author',s ,,own ,,birds4 ,,by ,,the ,,rev4 ,,francis ,,smith4 ,,contents4 ,a ,,plea ,,for ,,the ,,canary ,,origin ,,of ,,our ,,own ,,canary ,,the ,,wild ,,canary ,,our ,,lizards ,,our ,,yorkshire ,,spangles ,,our ,,norwich ,,yellows ,,our ,,london ,,fancy ,,birds ,,our ,,belgians ,,our ,,green ,,birds ,,our ,,cinnamons ,,our ,,turncrests ,,preparations ,,for ,,breeding ,,nest ,,boxes ,,and ,,nests ,,our ,,first ,,birds ,,our ,,misfortunes ,,our ,,infirmary ,,on ,,cages ,,groombridge ,,sons1 #e1 ,paternoster ,row1 ,london4 99 99 99 99 99 ,post #hvo1 cloth gilt1 with ,woodcut ,illustrations1 price #es4 ,,the ,,rose ,,book ,a ,,practical ,,treatise ,,on ,,the ,,culture ,,of ,,the ,,rose ,,comprising ,the ,formation of the ,rosarium2 the ,characters of ,species and ,varieties2 ,modes of ,propagating1 ,planting1 ,pruning1 ,training1 and ,preparing for ,exhibition2 and the ,management of ,roses in all ,seasons4 ,,by ,,shirley ,,hibberd1 ,f4,r4,h4,s4 ,,contents4 ,,the ,,families ,,of ,,wild ,,roses ,,the ,,families ,,of ,,cultivated ,,roses ,,summer ,,roses ,,forming ,,the ,,rosarium ,,culture ,,of ,,roses ,,in ,,the ,,open ,,ground ,,autumn ,,planting ,,spring ,,planting ,,pruning1 ,,disbudding1 ,,and ,,seasonal ,,management ,,climbing ,,roses ,,pillar ,,roses ,,yellow ,,roses ,,roses ,,in ,,pots ,,roses ,,in ,,beds ,,roses ,,in ,,great ,,towns ,,tea ,,roses ,,in ,,towns ,,various ,,modes ,,of ,,propagating ,,select ,,lists ,,of ,,roses ,,reminders ,,of ,,monthly ,,work ,,in ,,rose ,,garden ,,hints ,,to ,,beginners ,,groombridge ,,sons1 #e1 ,paternoster ,row1 ,london4 ,,books ,,for ,,young ,,naturalists4 ,crown #hvo1 elegantly bound1 gilt edges1 ,illustrated with #af beautifully coloured ,plates and numerous ,wood ,engravings1 price #es4 ,,nests ,,and ,,eggs ,,of ,,familiar ,,birds4 ,described and ,illustrated with an account of the ,haunts and ,habits of the ,feathered ,architects1 and their ,times and ,modes of ,building4 ,by ,h4 ,g4 ,,adams4 ,,groombridge ,,sons1 #e1 ,paternoster ,row1 ,london4 99 99 99 99 99 ,crown #hvo1 elegantly bound1 gilt edges1 ,illustrated with #h beautifully coloured ,plates and numerous ,wood ,engravings1 price #cs4 #f;d4 ,,beautiful ,,butterflies4 ,,described ,,and ,,illustrated ,with an ,introductory chapter1 containing the ,history of a ,butterfly through all its ,changes and ,transformations4 ,a ,description of its ,structure in the ,larva1 ,pupa1 and ,imago states1 with an ,explanation of the scientific terms used by ,naturalists in reference thereto1 with observations upon the ,poetical and other associations of the ,insect4 ,,by ,h4 ,g4 ,,adams4 ,,groombridge ,,sons1 #e1 ,paternoster ,row1 ,london4 99 99 99 99 99 ,crown #hvo1 elegantly bound1 gilt edges1 ,illustrated with #h beautifully coloured ,plates and numerous ,wood ,engravings1 price #cs4 #f;d4 ,,beautiful ,,shells ,,their ,,nature1 ,,structure1 ,,and ,,uses ,,familiarly ,,explained4 ,with ,directions for ,collecting1 ,cleaning and ,arranging them1 in the ,cabinet4 ,descriptions of the most remarkable ,species1 and of the creatures which inhabit them1 and explanations of the meaning of their scientific names1 and of the terms used in ,conchology4 ,,by ,h4 ,g4 ,,adams4 ,,groombridge ,,and ,,sons1 #e1 ,paternoster ,row1 ,london4 99 99 99 99 99 ,crown #hvo1 elegantly bound1 gilt edges1 ,illustrated with #h beautifully coloured ,plates and ,wood ,engravings1 price #cs4 #f;d4 ,,humming ,,birds4 ,,described ,,and ,,illustrated4 ,,with ,,an ,introductory ,sketch of their ,structure1 ,plumage1 ,haunts1 ,habits1 etc4 ,,by ,h4 ,g4 ,,adams4 ,,groombridge ,,sons1 #e1 ,paternoster ,row1 ,london4 ,,new ,,edition ,,of ,,the ,,works ,,of ,,anna ,,lisle4 ,this elegant edition1 large crown #hvo2 is handsomely bound in cloth1 gilt edges1 suitable for presentation1 and ,illustrated by the leading artists of the day4 ,in ,one ,volume1 large crown #hvo1 ,illustrated1 price #es4 ,,self ,,and ,,self-,,sacrifice ,,or1 ,,nelly',s ,,story4 ,,by ,,anna ,,lisle4 ,a very beautiful story1 with characters well drawn1 scenery vividly described1 and interest admirably sustained4 ,the tendency of the volume is not only unexceptionable1 but excellent in a ,christian point of view4 ,we have seldom seen a book in which the best and highest aim is so manifest without the attractiveness of the tale being at all lessened by the embodiment of religious principles4--,eclectic ,review4 ,the story is so delightful1 and the whole spirit of the book so pure1 that it compels our admiration4--,daily ,news4 ,since ',currer ,bell' we have read nothing more genuine1 nor more touching4 ',nelly's ,story' has power to carry the reader right through with it1 and can hardly fail to impress a moral of inestimable importance4--,carlisle ,journal4 ,admirably written1 pervaded throughout by fine1 correct1 and wholesome sentiments4-,morning ,post4 ,its excellent moral tone1 and keen observation1 are sure to render the book widely popular4--,john ,bull4 ',nelly's ,story' is a good one4 ,it is one of the best we have read for a long time4--,bucks ,advertiser4 ,abounding in interest4 ,we can hardly conceive a more suitable gift-book4--,lady's ,newspaper4 ,will be welcomed1 read1 and talked about4--,gentleman's ,magazine4 ',nelly's ,story' is told in such a good and pleasant way1 and withal is so useful and world-like1 that we trust it may bring to its authoress the fame that she is well able to support4--,tait's ,magazine4 ,we recognize and proclaim in the authoress of this thrilling tale a quality beyond mere ability--genius of a very high order4 ,we claim for ,anna ,lisle a place amongst the most distinguished writers of her age4 ,the story is a brilliant effort of refined and sanctified imagination throughout1 quite as fascinating as anything in the way of story1 whether told by ,scott1 ,stowe1 ,dickens1 or ,currer ,bell4--,sentinel4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in ,one ,volume1 large crown #hvo1 ,illustrated1 price #es4 ,,quicksands ,a ,,tale4 ,,by ,,anna ,,lisle4 ,it is a thoroughly woman's book4 ,we can fairly say that we have seldom met with a graver or more striking warning against the consequences of over eagerness about worldly position and advantages1 more forcibly and1 at the same time1 gracefully conveyed4--,literary ,gazette4 ,contains a great deal of quiet and powerful writing4 ,marty1 the maid of ,mrs4 ,grey1 might pass for a creation of ,dickens4 ,the moral of ',quicksands' is at once comprehensive and striking4--,weekly ,mail4 ,,groombridge ,,sons1 #e1 ,paternoster ,row1 ,london4 ,,gift ,,books ,,for ,,boys4 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 ,illustrated with #h full-page ,wood ,engravings1 price #bs4 #f;d4 ,,invention ,,and ,,discovery ,a ,,collection ,,of ,,interesting ,,anecdotes4 ,,by ,,ralph ,,and ,,chandos ,,temple4 ,has a point and object1 and a good one--nicely worked out4--,saturday ,review4 ,we can recommend this book as a ,christmas present1 and one which has given us no small pleasure4--,literary ,churchman4 ,exceedingly well-timed4 ,a volume which should be added to every working-man's club in ,england4--,notes and ,queries4 ,exhibits a conscientious regard for accuracy4--,athenum4 ,the tendency is to instil the principle of self-help and the advantage of earnest purpose4--,bell's ,messenger4 ,,groombridge ,,sons1 #e1 ,paternoster ,row1 ,london4 99 99 99 99 99 ,foolscap #hvo1 cloth gilt1 ,illustrated with #h full-page ,wood ,engravings1 price #bs4 #f;d4 ,,enterprise ,,and ,,adventure ,a ,,collection ,,of ,,interesting ,,anecdotes4 ,,by ,,ralph ,,and ,,chandos ,,temple4 ,very handsomely got up4 ,the ',temple ,anecdotes' will be one of the most popular of ,christmas books4--,standard4 ,a sensible1 well-written book4--,globe4 ,we know of no work which will make a more acceptable present than this extremely handsome and really useful book4--,era4 ,as a present for boys1 nothing can be better4--,daily ,news4 ,the anecdotes are told with a clearness and simplicity that cannot fail to give pleasure4--,spectator4 ,,groombridge ,,sons1 #e1 ,paternoster ,row1 ,london4 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's ,notes3 ,some illustrations were repositioned to avoid breaking up sentences4 ,original spelling and punctuation were retained from the printed book1 including spelling inconsistencies 7i4e43 kestrel and kestril7 except for the following changes3 ,page #a3 where-ever changed to wherever for consistency4 7to admire wherever we stroll7 ,page #aj3 ear-bones changed to earbones for consistency4 7a mole's earbones7 ,page #ae3 fore-arms changed to forearms for consistency4 7his forearms are something7 ,page #cj3 added closing quotes4 7,try1 try1 try again47 ,page #gh3 water crow-foot changed to water-crowfoot for consistency4 7spawning amongst that water-crowfoot17 ,page #ajg3 added quotes to continuation of quote4 7says1 taken near ,norwich7 ,page #aaj3 ,ply changed to ,fly4 7,fly thee home1 lady-bird1 ere it be gone47 ,page #aah3 bind-weed changed to bindweed for consistency4 7the greater bindweed1 with its large7 ,page #abe3 added quotes to show second paragraph continues quote4 7,she indicates her desire to sit7 ,page #adf3 in the ,fungi illustration1 the backwards #c has been righted4