April 15.

St. Peter Gonzales, or Telm, or Elm, A.D. 1246. Sts. Basilissa and Anastasia, 1st Cent. St. Paternus, Bishop, or Patier, Pair, or Foix, 6th Cent. St. Munde, Abbot, A.D. 962. St. Ruadhan, A.D. 584.

NATURAL HISTORY.

Average day of arrival of Spring Birds from a Twenty years' Journal.

April 3. Smallest Willow Wren. Ficaria pinetorum arrives.

April 10. Common Willow Wren. Ficaria Salicum arrives.

April 14. Called First Cuckoo Day in Sussex. The Cuckoo, cuculus canorus, sometimes heard.

April 15. Called Swallow Day. The Chimney Swallow, Hirundo rustica, arrives.

April 19. The Sand Swallow. Hirundo riparia arrives.

April 20. The Martin. Hirundo terbica sometimes seen.

April 21. The Cuckoo, commonly heard.

April 30. The Martin, commonly seen.

The other vernal birds arrive between the 15th and 30th of the month. *[1]

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FLORAL DIRECTORY.

Green Stitchwort. Stellaria holostra.
Dedicated to St. Peter Gonzales.

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AN APRIL DAY.

Original.

Dear Emma, on that infant brow,
  Say, why does disappointment low'r?
Ah! what a silly girl art thou,
  To weep to see a summer show'r!

O, dry that unavailing tear,
  The promis'd visit you shall pay;
The sky will soon again be clear,
  For 'tis, my love, an April day.

And see, the sun's returning light
   Away the transient clouds hath driv'n,
The rainbow's arch with colours bright
   Spreads o'er the blue expanse of heav'n;

The storm is hush'd, the winds are still,
  A balmy fragrance fills the air;
Nor sound is heard, save some clear rill
  Meandering thro' the vallies fair.

Those vernal show'rs that from on high
  Descend, make earth more fresh and green;
Those clouds that darken all the air
  Disperse, and leave it more serene

And those soft tears that for awhile
   Down sorrow's faded cheek may roll,
Shall sparkle thro' a radiant smile,
  And speak the sunshine of the soul!

While yet thy mind is young and pure,
  This sacred truth, this precept learn—
That He who bids thee all endure,
  Bids sorrow fly, and hope return.

His chast'ning hand will never break
  The heart that trusts in Him alone;
He never, never will forsake
  The meanest suppliant at his throne.

The world, that with unfeeling pride
  Sees vice to virtue oft preferr'd,
From thee, alas! may turn aside—
  O, shun the fawning, flatt'ring herd!

And while th' Eternal gives thee health
  With joy thy daily course to run,
Let wretches hoard their useless wealth,
  And Heav'n's mysterious will be done.

With fair Religion, woo content,
  'Twill bid tempestuous passions cease;
And know, my child, the life that's spent
  In pray'r and praise, must end in peace.

The dream of Life is quickly past,
  A little while we linger here;
And tho' the Morn be overcast,
  The Ev'ning may be bright and clear.

Islington. D. G.

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An Evening in Spring.

          Now the noon,
Wearied with sultry toil, declines and falls
Into the mellow eve:— the west puts on
Her gorgeous beauties—palaces and halls
And towers, all carved of the unstable cloud
Welcome the calmy [sic] waning monarch— he
Sinks gently 'midst that glorious canopy
Down on his couch of rest—even like a proud
King of the earth—the ocean.

Bowring.

Notes [all notes are Hone's unless otherwise indicated]:

1. Communicated by a scientific gentleman, whose daily observations and researches in Natural History, stamp value upon his contributions. [return]