Tag: nature

GLEANINGS IN NATURAL HISTORY
K. J. McEnnes
Nature notes first published in the Warminster Miscellany during 1862.

FEBRUARY
The ice-bound chains of winter are not yet sufficiently burst to realise much pertaining this month to the train of Flora. Yet there are some exceptions. Let those who are fond of enjoying one of Nature’s purest and healthiest breezes – determined to make the most of a morning’s recreation – start, on a glorious morning of this month, when the whole external vegetation is spell-bound by the severity of the past night’s frost, and think not there are no beauties awaiting him amid the wild scenes of nature. Flora, it is true, has not yet been burdened in her several forms of spring-tide anticipations – nor over-gorgeous in their outward embellishments. But let not the admirer of nature think that summer alone exhibits beauties worthy of admiring – that nothing short of the gaudy corn-poppy, and similar accessories can tempt them.

The traveller upon a morning as indicated, would find, perhaps the most prominent, the common furze (Ulex europea), gladdening every portion of waste heathy and sandy soil. Upon some sunny bank, as the harbinger of spring, the common primrose will be found peering amongst the surrounding herbage. The small celandine or pilewort, or by botanists called Ranunculus ficaria, will also be found thrusting its golden blossoms from amongst its beautiful heart-shaped glossy leaves, which are often beautifully zoned towards the centre. In and near woods, several remnants of the past year may be found, of the charming fern tribe – laying claim on your attention by their delicate texture and their diversified and graceful appearance. On the northern side of banks will be found the Asplenium adiantum nigrum, or black maidenhair; the Blechnum boreale, or northern-hard fern; the fine, glossy, entire fronds of the hart’s-tongue, or Scolopendrium officinale, and the Lastrea filix mas., in much of their original beauty; and in woods will be seen the leathery-shield fern (Polystichum aculeatum), and its ally the lobed-shield fern, and the thicket lastrea, or Lastrea multiflora; and on old walls may be found the pretty rue fern (Asplenium luta muraria and Ceterach officinarum), which is rare in most parts of England, but in this district and Somerset abundant.

But the true lover of nature will find much to interest him in addition to the blossom of plants; and the lover of art also – for the artist will see spread before him rich and glorious combinations of colour, light, and shade. Let the observer pass from the chalk formation southwards upon the green sand formations, and view the masses of the common birch to be found around Crockerton and elsewhere, when, at this season of the year, although denuded of its leaves, the rich brown-purple tint of its branches is a rare subject for the painter’s pencil, more especially if the observer is on the opposite side of a valley, with the faint sun at his back. Contrast the birch tint with that of the cold ash-grey of the oak, the rich sienna-grey of the larch fir, and the dense blue-green tint of the massive Scotch fir – relieved by the fine glaucous tints of the extremity of the branches. The scene is then worthy the attention of every one, and cannot fail in elevating the mind of the observer to its Great First Cause.

MARCH
The aspect of nature has vastly changed since the remarks upon the last month were penned; part of the interval has been, in temperature, almost equalling summer, but now we are experiencing those fierce and biting easterly winds, yet, gladly welcomed by the Farmer, as the means to enable him to obtain that requisite pulverisation of his land, necessary for his properly depositing his grain for the forthcoming harvest.

Since the Ice King has departed, Vegetation has progressed, and allow me to invite you to a morning’s ramble amid the beauties of nature. Those who are desirous of “Health,” will not fail to accompany me in these pleasing and not unimportant studies, that they may bring similar tenfold delights to those engaging – And follow the Poet who kindly tells them, –

“Hie away, hie away,
Over bank and over brae,
Where the copse-wood is the greenest,
Where the fountains glisten sheenest,
Where the lady-fern grows strongest,
Where the morning-dew lies longest,
Where the black-cock sweetest sips it,
Where the fairy latest trips it:
Hie to the haunts seldom seen,
Lovely, lonesome, cool and green,
Over bank and over brae.
Hie away, hie away.”

Having reached last month to the woods at Crockerton, let us continue our ramble in that neighbourhood, and descant again upon its beauties –remembering the allusion to the Birch, calling attention to its beauties, although denuded of its leaves; we will now further examine it, and find that in proportion as the season advances, and the sap is again and more rapidly circulated, so is the beautiful colour of its branches deepened in their tints, and brought into strong contrast to the silvery white tints of the Bark upon the Bole or main stem of the Trees. This “most beautiful of forest trees, – the Lady of the Woods” – intimately connected as it is with the literary history and ceremonials civil and religious, of earlier times, is still more   forcibly associated in our memories, with the bright, happy and    buoyant days of youth, with scenes of exquisite but evanescent     mingled pains and pleasures, when to our minds “Life and its thousand joys seemed but as one long summer’s day;” that we may exclaim in the words of a French writer, “the sight of a birch tree offers a vast subject of interesting meditation; and happy the man to whom its flexible pendant branches do not recall to mind, that to him, they were formerly instruments of punishment.”

The elegant minded poet Shenstone, feelingly alludes to these well known instruments of castigation, in his “Schoolmistress:” –

“And all in sight doth rise a birchen tree,
Which learning near her little dome did stow;
Whilom a twig of small regard to see,
Tho’ now so wide its waving branches flow;
And work the simple vassals mickle woe;
For not a wind might curl the leaves that blew,
But their limbs shudder’d, and their pulse beat low;
And as they look’d they found their horror grow,
And shap’d it into rods, and tingled at the view.”

The trunk of the birch is subject to the production of large knots of a reddish tinge, marbled, light, and solid, much in request by turners; – and should the tree be growing in a boggy soil, on the branches grow large masses of intertwined twigs, which is probably caused by the extravasation of sap caused by the puncture of some insect, and at a distance resemble Rook’s nests; the white Epidermis or outer covering of the bark, is proverbial for durability, and, as a defence against humidity, and was extensively used by the Ancients for their manuscripts, previous to the introduction of paper. An oil distilled from the bark, imparts that powerful fragrance peculiar to Russia leather. The sap abounds in saccharine matter, and is formed into a pleasant pungent Wine. The whole tree diffuses an agreeable odour, and is noticed by Burns as the “Fragrant Birk.”

Passing on our way, the Hazel or Nut bushes attract our attention, from the numerous pendant Catkins suspended from every branch; but these are not the embryo of the future nut: examine the branches carefully, and studded throughout almost every branch, you will observe the bright and beautiful flower of a rich crimson, called Stigmas, looking like three small pieces of worsted, attached, and at the base of those Stigmas is a small bud, that encloses what in Autumn is found to yield the nut.

Retracing our steps towards Warminster, – the fair maids of February, as the Poet calls them – the Snowdrop, still lingers upon some neighbouring bank, and on crossing a meadow “the wee tipped crimson, modest flower” the daisy, narrowly escapes being trodden upon.

We now hasten homeward, determined during the next month to renew our acquaintance with those endless, diversified beauties of creation which are –

“Pleasant to know, and worthiest to be all
Had in remembrance always with delight.”

APRIL
Spring has certainly now dawned upon us, for the late mild weather, combined with the constantly humid atmosphere so prevalent during the last week of March, has certainly driven Vegetation at a somewhat railroad pace, and developed many beauties often retarded towards May.

I will this month, request nature’s admirers to accompany me in a new path, striking off from the New or Weymouth Road, by the Swan-River, noticing on our way, the Elms in blossom, feeding large numbers of winged Insects. Proceeding across the meadows, by Marsh-Mill, the Willows attract our attention, more particularly that division of them termed Sallows, so conspicuous from their erect rich yellow Catkins, when fully-developed resembling a small brush, formed by the numerous parts of the flower called Stigmas, previous to expansion the heads of blossom are white, one of the largest and best known kinds is called Palm, and often largely gathered on Palm-Sunday.

Suddenly across our sight flies an Insect, bearing a somewhat Butterfly resemblance, what is it? that is not a Butterfly, but a species of Moth, attracted by the rich honied sweetness of the Palm Catkins, and the Moth is noticeable as belonging to a family or group of Spring Insects, which appear but that once in the perfect state during the year, (other groups appearing in two or more broods during the season).

But, you will ask, how am I to distinguish between the Butterfly and the Moth? That is comparatively an easy task:- first the Butterfly: In popular ideas, all insects favoured with a rich and gaudy colouring upon their wings are considered Butterflies, this is a gross error, as many of the British Moths are equal, and many, excelling in colour most of the British Butterflies.

The first, and most conspicuous mark of distinction in their classification is this:- Butterflies in the termination of their Horns or Antennae, always have either an oval or round knob, while the Moths have a gradual thickening from its base to the middle, diminishing to its point, – or increasing from the base to within half-an-inch of its extremity, with a suddenly acuminated point, a glance will therefore serve at all times to decide.

Should the reader feel desirous of forming a more intimate acquaintance with the Moths, visit the Sallows shortly after sunset, with his Insect collecting net, – expand the net beneath the Sallows and let a companion give a gentle rap with a stick among the Catkins, he will find them falling into the net, the Moths which have been feeding, and also many of their Caterpillar, or Larva, feeding upon the expanding leaves.

Let us now direct our attention to another quarter, and passing to private property, enter the Southley Woods; not in pursuit of game, but to view the beautiful assemblage of minor beauties of Creation. Upon the surrounding banks the beauteous but humble primrose rears its head, where it is often “born to blush unseen, and waste its fragrance on the desert air.” Near it will be found the small white whitlow-grass (Draba verna), the leaves of which are arranged star like, close upon the ground. The fragrant coltsfoot (Tussilago), with its pendant yellow blossom, and large heart-shaped leaves is also plentiful; the blossoms dried and smoked like tobacco, is often considered efficacious to persons suffering from Asthma. Another charm awaits you, and one which has already greeted you by its fragrance, the beautiful violet (Viola odorata). Every bank – every hillock – every nook and hollow, is covered with hundreds of forms – of sizes – and of tints of elegant mosses, tints ranging from the most dense dark green, and lighter shades, some tinted with yellow; that to view them from a distance they appear almost golden. Quite as varied are their forms, the hair-moss or Polytrichum, the plume mosses or Hypnum, the cushion moss or Bryum, the star moss, the brilliant scarlet fruited lichen Schyphophorus cocciferus, and the grey cupped lichen Schyphophorus pyxidatus, and that valuable plant to the Laplander upon which exists the great portion of the year the Reindeer. This, the Cladonia rangiferina, constitutes its whole food, the Deer scraping away the snow with its feet, to enable it to feed. These lichens, as well as the mosses, are very variable in the form of fructification or seed-vessels; and the mosses are in some instances acted upon by the dryness or moisture of the atmosphere, particularly one growing upon walls and banks called Funaria hygrometrica, which at the approach of wet, the seed stalk twists      itself round several times; and another noticeable character is conspicuous in Bryum pulvinata so abundant upon old walls and housetops – which recoils its stalks and twines its seed-vessels among the numerous downy-like points of the leaves. The seed capsules of the hair-mosses are covered with hairs – from whence the name. The Hypnums are urn-shaped, others are pear-shaped, apple-shaped, &c., &c., and the whole covered at the extremity by a mitre-shaped or calytriform cap.

Proceeding on our walk, we can well exclaim with Thompson –

“Nor is the mead unworthy of thy foot
Full of fresh verdure and unnumbered flowers.
The negligence of nature, wide, and wild;
Where, undisguised by mimic art, she spreads
Unbounded beauty to the roving eye.”

In marshy places will be found the great Butterbur (Petasites vulgaris), with a dense spike of flesh-coloured flowers, fragrant, and long after the blossoms have disappeared, the leaves expand, and when full-grown, are the largest of any British plant. A companion with this is the marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) with its large, rich golden flowers making the willow beds glow in beauty. Pass not unseen the barren strawberry (Potentilla Fragariastrum) decking every bank with its blossoms.

Onward now must be the watchword –

“For the bloomy blush of life is fled,
All but yon widow’d solitary thing,
That feebly bends beside the plashing spring;
The wretched matron, forced, in age, for bread,
To strip the brook with mantling cresses spread.”

We hasten homeward, convinced that the more we extend our researches into the Vegetable Kingdom, the more will every susceptible mind be excited to proceed. We shall find the most delicate and elaborate processes in ceaseless progression on the mountain and in the valley, the meadows and recesses of our woods, all subject to immutable laws. We shall find colours unrivalled, odours inimitable, and forms exhaustless in variety and grace, daily developed in the grand laboratory of nature, demanding only to be seen, to extort our unqualified admiration, and leading irresistibly to contemplate the glory of that Almighty Being, from whom so many wonders emanate.