Memories Of The Months - Sixth Series

MEMORIES OF THE MONTHS - SIXTH SERIES - 1919 - TO THE READER - WERE this volume of a quality to merit a second or explanatory title, that should be THE MIXTURE A S BEFORE. Like its predecessors in the series, it is no more than an expansion of notes made chiefly in the open air upon incidents and phenomena, for the explanation of which, when they puzzled me, I have had recourse to the writings or oral advice of competent authorities. But whereas note-books, irregularly kept, are not convenient as jogs to a treacherous memory, I have indulged in the luxury of having their contents set up in fair type. Five - and - twenty consecutive summers spent in attendance on Parliament having convinced me more firmly than ever that Douglas of old was in the right when he said he loved better to hear the lark sing than the mouse squeak, most of the following pages treat of what passes out of doors. Yet what are woods and fields, the league-long roller thundering on the beach, the windy moorland and the falling flood, without their historic-that is, their human-association Wherefore, standing cheek by jowl with memoranda on animals and plants, there are some desultory gleanings from bygone history and such musings as pass through the mind of one dwelling amid rustic scenes. Pass through-aye, and so most apt to pass away, unless one pins them down before they vanish in the throng of new impressions. HERBERT RIAXWELL. CONTENTS JANUARY PAGE I. FLORA HYEMALIR . 1 11, FEATHERS . 7 III. WILD SWANS . . 13 IV. LEEK . . . . 20 V. THE UEXTLE ART OF BLAZON . - . 24 FEBRUARY VI. THE ROE . 53 VII. BIRDS AND MAN . S 57 VIII. DEESXDE IN FEBRUARY . 60 IX. FEATHERED CAPTIVES . . 64 X, WHY HAVE RABBITS WHITE SCUTS . .71 XI. IN LOWER STRATHSPEY . . 73 XII. DAFFODILS . 77 XIV. OUR GARDENS . . 86 XV. THE CROSS-BEARERS . . 94 r ii CONTENTS XVI. NATURES CA XOUPLAGE . I. CUCKOO SPIT. XVIII. THE SAWFLY XIX. SOMMEB BIBDS XX. FASCINATION . XXI. THE OSPREY . JUNE XXIl. THlC HEDGEHOG . XXIII. WEITE BUTTERFLIES XXIV. A HUNTEB WASP . XXV. BBITISH ORCHIDS . XXVI. LILIES . JULY XXVII. CHAR . XXVIII. CLIMBIBO PLANTS . XXIX. A LOST OPPOBTWNITY . XXX. THE DIVINIXCI ROD . AUGUST XXXI. CBUSTACEANS XXXII. SPIDERS. XHXIII. THE LEAF-CCTTEB BEE . XXXIV. THE RIDDLE OF THE BURBOT SEPTEN BER XXXV. A HARD DAY ON THE HILL . XXXVI. A HAWKS ADVENTURE . CONTENTS ix PAGE XXXVII. OUR LADY OF THE NETTLES . 206 XXXVIII. A RARE MOTH . . 210 OCTOBER XXXIX. GOSSAMER . . 213 XL. CAN THE LOWER ANIMALS CONVERSE . 219 XLI. SPARE THE SONO-BIRDS . . 226. XLII. MIGRATION OF TIIE ROBIN . . 231 XLIII. PHEASANTS . . 236 NOVEMBER XLIV. BEAVERS . . 242 XLV. ANTLERS . . 247 XLVI. ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE . 260 DECEMBER XLITI. WHO WAS ST. ENOCH . . 290 XLVIII. THE FOOD OF OTTERS . . 297 XLIX. MOTTOES . . 308 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS LILIUM TESTACEUM IN THE BOTANIC GARDEN, OXFORD . Frontispiece FEBRUARY ON THE HELMSDALE . . To face page 6 4 GARDEN VIEW AT MONRETTH . 99 9, X SAXIFBAGA BURSERIANA . 9 t 99 g2 MISS HOLMS AND HER OTTER . 99 9 306