withstanding its natural aptitude for mischief, purloining and secreting, as it would appear, for the fun of the thing. Its elfin tricks caused the bird to be regarded in more superstitious times as of evil augury; nay, indeed, as something more than a bird-a veritable imp in feathers. On close examination, the bright and peculiarly pale-coloured iris gives it a remarkable appearance.

A considerable colony of these birds inhabit the ivy-covered fissures of St. Vincent's Rocks. They are now actively preparing for the approaching season, gambolling in the air, full of glee circling round and round, suddenly shooting upward, chasing each other, and screaming vehemently. The wayward character of the bird may be seen in its flight; it seems never to have exactly determined on its course, or it is subject to many wayward impulses, as it so often changes the direction of its flight.

Like the rook, it prefers to be near the busy haunts of men, frequenting old church towers, turrets, &c., and not unfrequently fraternising with the rook

"A great frequenter of the Church,
Where, bishop-like, he finds a perch,

And dormitory too.”—CowPER.

It was stated at the time York Minster was partly destroyed that the fire had been considerably augmented by the quantity of wood the Daws had carried to the turrets. A pair has been known to gather together nearly a cartload of sticks for their nesting bower.

The bird is sometimes seen in the farmyard, quite as tame as the poultry, coming when called, and assuming its perch in the kitchen, repeating odd phrases, and playing diverting tricks. It occasionally repeats sentences with great distinctness. It was a Daw that saluted Augustus Cæsar on his triumphal entry into Rome, after the defeat of Mark Anthony, with "God save the victorious Cæsar!" This salutation brought the owner of the bird a high reward for his patriotism. It appeared afterwards that the bird's master was somewhat of a time-server, as he had taught another bird to hail the "victorious Mark Anthony" as conqueror !

MARCH 7TH.

ROACH AND DACE.—(Leuciscus rutilus et vulgaris.)

THE angling season has now commenced. Very good sport is often had with Roach during very cold weather; enthusiastic anglers, indeed, have been known to follow their favourite sport even though the water froze to the line. Roach fishing continues all the winter long. Izaak Walton says, "Roach and Dace be much of a kind in matter of feeding," nor are they very dissimilar in appearance. The Roach is of a dusky green on the upper parts, shading to a silvery white below, with bright red fins; usually swims in shoals, and prefers still, deep waters. The Dace slightly differs from the Roach; it is rather more slender in shape, but its habits are almost identical; it is an exceedingly graceful swimmer, gliding forward, upward. downward, or turning in the water with the utmost Roach and Dace both belong to the same genus; they are usually fished for with ground bait, and, according to Sydney Smith, this is a truly clerical sport. The witty divine, in an argument with a serious Baronet who objected to clerical sporting, stood up stoutly for angling. "I give up," says he, "fly fishing; it is a light, volatile, dissipated pursuit. But ground bait, with a good, steady float, that never bobs without a bite, is an occupation fit for a bishop, and in no way interferes with sermon making."

ease.

The sport is truly a quiet, sedate one, rarely requiring much skill in the angler, though sometimes a good deal of patience. Walton characterises the Roach as "the water sheep, for his simplicity or foolishness."

Dame Julia Berners, in her "Treatyse of Fyshynge with an Angle," otherwise the "Boke of St. Alban's," published in 1496, gives the preference to angling over all other field sports. Thus::- "And yet he (the angler) at the least hath his holsom walke and merry at his ease, a sweet ayre of the sweet savoure of the meede floures: that makyth him hungry. He hereth the melodyous harmony of fowles; he seeth the yonge herons, duckes, coots, and many other fowles wyth theyr broodes which me semyth better than alle the noyse of houndys, the blast of horns, and the cry of fowles, that

hunters, falconers, and fowlers can make. And yf the angler take the fysshe surely thenne is there noo man merier than he is in his spyryte. Also whoso will use the game of angling he must rise early, which thing is profitable to man in this wise, that is to wit, most to the heal of his soul. For it shall cause him to be holy, and to the heal of his body, for it shall cause him to be whole-also to the increase of his goods, for it shall make him rich. As the old English proverb saith in this wise, whoso will rise early shall be holy, healthy, and zealous."

Surely under this aspect angling must indeed be "an occupation fit for a bishop."

MARCH 8TH.

THE CLOTHES MOTH.-(Tinea vestianella.)

THIS little insect is a constant source of annoyance and loss to those who have to store furs and woollen goods, for, however carefully packed, the Moth will in most cases find its way and deposit its eggs-not in a group, but carefully scattered in every fold; this is usually accomplished before the close of August, after which the Moth dies; the whole end and aim of its short existence appears to be spent in an unceasing search for a fitting place for this deposit. Careful housewives will do well to avail themselves of a fine September day for well airing and shaking furs and woollen goods, as the eggs of the Moth are then more easily dislodged.

The deposited egg becomes a living grub in about six weeks, and immediately commences the work of devastation, for the insect mother has taken care to place the egg where the grub may find immediate food and habitation. The larvæ mines into the substance of the cloth for food, or cuts down the fur to the skin, shaving it as close as though cut with a razor, and out of the gathered crop manufactures a woollen or fur coat as the case may be, displaying in the process the most surprising ingenuity, weaving the hairs into a comfortable case for its delicate body, after which a fine soft silken lining is added. The

garment when completed is of the most admirable workmanship, challenging comparison with man's finest manufactures. Out of the open end of the case the head of the grub is now and then seen to protrude and to mow down its food with its scissor-like jaws. After a brief period the woven garment becomes too short, and is duly lengthened; then it is found too tight, and the untaught, unpractised grub sets to work to remedy the defect, and this it accomplishes after the most approved fashion; first partially cutting down the garment on either side, it neatly weaves into the opening an additional piece, and thus gradually proceeds until it has widened the covering from end to end. This most ingenious process is repeated several times, as the bulk of the grub increases. the grub has been reared on white cloth, and has been shifted to red, yellow, blue, &c., as the various additions and enlargements have been made, the coat at last becomes one of many colours, accurately showing the several additions and enlarge

ments.

If

The larvae state continues nearly ten months, when a cocoon of silk is spun and the pupa state assumed; in about three weeks after a small grey moth appears, marked with a black spot on each wing, and then it flutters and creeps out its brief existence.

Cedar shavings, morocco leather, lavender, &c., have been recommended as preventives of the ravages of Moth, but frequent airings are more efficacious than any or all of these remedies.

MARCH 9TH.

WHITLOW GRASS.—(Draba vérna.)

THE observer of the progress of vegetation can scarcely fail to notice the appearance of this plant at the present season, covering the surface of dry, rocky banks, and cresting the tops of old walls with its white bloom, springing up amid the sparse grass and green moss in patches of hundreds. The individual plant is exceedingly minute: the leaves, root, blossoms and all may be covered with a silver groat; a small circle of leaves

spread round the root, close to the surface, in the form of a green star, from the centre of which springs the thread-like stem, bearing two white, cross-shaped flowers. The plant derives its name, Whitlow, from having been formerly generally applied to whitlows; and as those inflammations usually affected the nail, it was also known as Nailwort. Culpepper says, "It is held to be exceeding good for imposthunes in the joints and under the nails," and amusingly adds, "Such as would be knowing physicians let them read these books of mine of the last edition." The plant bears no resemblance to grass except in its colour; it is of an acrid, biting nature, and may, with judicious care, prove in some cases useful. Later in the season the plant is conspicuous by the remains of the seed-pods, which bear a resemblance to minute oval hand looking-glasses, the rim of the seed-pod forming the frame, and the film that separated the seeds, the glass.

The plant is one of the early harbingers of spring, a sure evidence of the progress of the season. To the Swedish agriculturist it is highly interesting, for he regards the whitened surface of the rocky soil as Nature's directions to commence the sowing of his barley. It may be well believed that the flowering of our wild plants, the budding, leafing, and blossoming of our trees, are far more trustworthy directions than dates, for it is not unfrequent that there is nearly two months difference in our seasons. These natural indications, though now considered by many as antiquated and beneath the attention of a scientific agriculturist, are still regarded and chronicled by the more humble tillers of the soil, who, wanting book lore, endeavour to read the page of Nature's volume as it continually unfolds before them

"Such is the science to the peasant dear

Which guides his labours through the varied year."

There can be little doubt that these teachings of Nature, when carefully regarded, often prove highly advantageous.