The snowdrop, anemone, and crocus, are in flower; the yew and alder-trees put forth their flower-buds, and the gooseberry and red-currant bushes shew their young leaves about the end of the month.

MARCH was named by the Romans after Mars, the god of war, because he was said to be the father of their first prince. The Saxons called it Lenct - monath, or the lengthening month, because the days now begin to be longer than the nights-(Lenct also means spring, so it was their spring-month). It was likewise called Hlyd

monath, the stormy month.

This month is generally cold and windy: an old proverb says, that it " comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb," which means, that the weather in the first part of the month is often rough and stormy, but towards the end soft and mild. The rains and thaws of February leave the ground soaked with wet; and many seeds would rot and die, if the cold winds of March did not dry the soil, and prepare it for the warm sunshine and spring showers. In March there is a general stir and bustle among the birds. The pheasant crows; the goose, pigeon, and hen sit; the duck and turkey lay; the crow, rook, and hedgesparrow build; and the greenfinch, golden-crested wren, the lark, blackbird, and thrush sing. In the course of March many of the winter-birds of passage, which have come from colder countries, leave us for their summer haunts where they breed. Among these are the redwing, fieldfare, and woodcock, which go to Sweden, Norway, &c. The bunting, reed-sparrow, red-legged sea-mew, stonecurlew, chiff-chaff, and wheatear make their appearance in England. (The bunting and reed-sparrow are said, however, to remain in the southern counties of England through the winter.)

Reptiles-such as snakes, frogs, newts, and lizards— which have been torpid, begin to shew themselves. Frogs rise from the bottom of ponds and ditches, and may be seen with their heads just above the water; after a time they become bolder, and are heard croaking loudly: they lay their eggs or spawn now, which look like a mass of jelly filled with little black spots. Several insects are now seen; gnats are plentiful, and the "sulphur," ", orange

under-wing," and "light-under-wing" butterflies, and "humming-bird sphinx," and " March moths" appear, as well as beetles and lady-birds. Bees venture out of their hives; and bats shew themselves towards the end of the month.

Cattle still require feeding in the farm-yard. Ploughing and sowing are going on vigorously; and spring-wheat, rye, barley, beans, pease, &c. are got in. This is the month in which lambs are chiefly born. The farmer dresses and rolls his meadows, plants quicksets, osiers, &c., sows flax, grasses, oats, broom, hemp, &c. The gardener prunes and grafts fruit- trees, sows his seeds, and digs and plants in his flower and kitchen-gardens. The sallow, aspen, and alder-trees are in full bloom, as are the daffodil, rush, and spurge-laurel; the laurustinus, bay, and honeysuckle open their leaves; and crocuses, daisies, primroses, and violets are in beauty.

THE name 66 April" comes from the Latin word aperire, to open; and was probably given to this month because the earth seems now to open itself and produce vegetables. It is the only month in the year not named after Roman deities, or according to its place in the old calendar. The Saxons called it Oster or Easter monath, either from the feast of Easter, or because the winds blow generally from the east in this month.

1st of April, All Fools' Day.-On this day people seek to make as many "fools" as they can, by trying to persuade them to go on fruitless errands. This custom is said to have been taken from the French, who call simpletons

poissons d'Avril, "April fish," from mackerel, which are caught in numbers in France during this month.

April is often a delightful month, though the most variable in the year. Bright and warm days of sunshine, showers of rain, and now and then cold and piercing winds, are common to it. The spring advances, and the earth becomes dressed in green. Our summer birds, the swallow, the martin, the swift, cuckoo, wryneck, redstart, wagtail, nightingale, black-cap, pied fly-catcher, wren and willowwren, lark, whitethroat, turtle-dove, ring--ouzel, lapwing, and tern, arrive. The bittern booms; and all the birds are busily engaged, some in building their nests, others in laying, &c. Most of the insects now awake from their winter sleep. Butterflies, moths, dragon-flies, beetles, flies, ants, worms, spiders, mole-crickets, and slugs, are seen in great numbers. Fish come to the surface of the water to bask in the sunshine, and become an easy prey to the angler. Farmers and gardeners are busy sowing their seeds; early potatoes and mangel-wurzel, carrots and Swedish turnips, and evergreens, are planted. Poultry broods are now hatched in numbers.

April is rich in blossoms. The black-thorn, ash, groundivy, box-tree, hawthorn, sycamore, and many fruit-trees, put forth their flowers. The elm, beech, and larch-trees are now in full leaf. The chequered daffodil, primrose, cowslip, cuckoo-flower, harebell, anemone, and some orchis plants, may be seen in our fields and woods in full bloom; and lilacs, ranunculuses, polyanthuses, hyacinths, tulips, and honeysuckles, &c. &c. make our gardens gay.