January 24.

The scenes and weather which sometimes prevail on the Vigil of St. Paul are described in some verses inserted by Dr. Forster in his "Perennial Calendar."

St. Paul's Eve.

   Winter's white shrowd doth cover all the grounde,
      And Caecias blows his bitter blasts of woe;
   The ponds and pooles, and streams in ice are bounde,
      And famished birds are shivering in the snowe.
   Still round about the house they flitting goe,
      And at the windows seek for scraps of foode
   Which Charity with hand profuse doth throwe,
      Right weeting that in need of it they stoode,
For Charity is shown by working creatures' goode.

   The sparrowe pert, the chaffinche gay and cleane,
      The redbreast welcome to the cotter's house,
   The livelie blue tomtit, the oxeye greene,
      The dingie dunnock, and the swart colemouse;
   The titmouse of the marsh, the nimble wrenne,
      The bullfinch and the goldspinck, with the king
   Of birds the goldcrest. The thrush, now and then,
      The blackbird, wont to whistle in the spring,
Like Christians seek the heavenlie foode St. Paul doth bring.

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NATURALISTS' CALENDAR.

Mean Temperature   . . .   36 . 60.