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The Moon's Passage over the Meridian.

If the weather be favourable, the Moon may be seen to pass the meridian of the Royal Observatory at the following times, viz.

August 7th, at 53 m. after 6 in the evening

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8th, 46 9th, 42 10th, . 39 11th, . 36 12th, 31 19th, .37 20th, 34 21st,

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Eclipses of Jupiter's Satellites.

The following will be the visible eclipses of Jupiter's first and second satellites during this month, viz.

Immersions.

First Satellite, 3d day, at 44 m. after 1 in the morning

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Mercury will be in his inferior conjunction at 11 in the evening of the 1st of this month. The Moon will be in conjunction with a in Scorpio at 47 m. after 1 in the morning of the 8th. Saturn will be stationary on the 10th; Venus on the 11th; and Jupiter on the 19th. Mercury will also attain his greatest elongation on the same day. The Moon will be in conjunction with 8 in Taurus at 59 m. after 10 in the evening of the 21st; with Mercury at 5 in the morning of the 26th; and with a in Virgo at 32 m. past 1 in the afternoon of the 31st.

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The Naturalist's Diary

For AUGUST 1821.

We hear the reaper's shout resound,

Observe bright sheaves, like troops of dancers stand
On hills and laughing fields, and crown the land;
See full fruits redden in the sultry ray,

Peer through the leaves, and bend the loaded spray.

THE powerful influence of the solar rays now contributes to ripen the various sorts of grain, which are benevolently given for the food of man and cattle. Fine weather is very desirable, that the principal source of the farmer's wealth may be safely housed; for sudden storms beat down the nearly ripened corn, and materially injure it. The utmost diligence is now exerted, and labourers from all parts are eagerly engaged to give their assistance in this delightful occupation; all is bustle and activity.

Who has not seen the cheerful HARVEST HOME?
Enlivening the scorched fields, and greeting gay
The slow decline of Autumn? All around
The yellow sheaves catching the burning beam,
Glow, golden-lustred; and the trembling stem
Of the slim oat, or azure corn-flower,

Waves, on the hedgerows shady. The pond'rous load
Follows the weary team: the narrow lane

Bears on its thick-wove hedge the scattered corn,
Hanging in scanty fragments, which the thorn
Purloined from the broad waggon.

Hail! HARVEST HOME!

To thee the muse of Nature pours the song,
By instinct taught to warble; instinct pure,
Sacred, and grateful to that Power adored,
Which warms the sensate being, and reveals
The soul self-evident! beyond the dreams
Of visionary sceptics! Scene sublime!

Where earth presents her golden treasuries;
Where balmy breathings whisper to the heart
Delights unspeakable! where sea, and skies,
And hills and vallies,-colours, odours, dews,
Diversify the work of nature's GOD!

Some curious ceremonies have been and are still used in various parts of the country, at the conclusion of the harvest. The manner of celebrating harvest-home in Queen Elizabeth's time, is thus described by Paul Hentzner: As we were returning to our inn, we happened to meet some country people celebrating harvest-home: their last load of corn they crown with flowers, having besides an image richly dressed, by which perhaps they would signify Ceres; this they keep moving about, while men and women, men and maid-servants, riding through the streets in the cart, shout as loud as they can till they arrive at the barn.'

In Suffolk husbandry, the man who (whether by merit or by sufferance we know not) goes foremost through the harvest with the scythe or the sickle, is honoured with the title of Lord, 'and at the Horkey, or harvest-home feast, collects what he can, for himself and brethren, from the farmers and visitors, to make a 'frolic' afterwards, called "the largess spending.' By way of returning thanks, though perhaps formerly of much more, or of different signification, they immediately leave the seat of festivity, and with a very long and repeated shout of a 'largess' (the number of shouts being regulated by the sums given) seem to wish to make themselves heard by the people of the surrounding farms; and before they rejoin the company within, play a number of pranks, and give themselves up to jollity.-See the 'Horkey, a very humorous provincial ballad by Bloomfield, in which a successful attempt has been made to preserve the memorial of a custom fast going out of

use.

Home came the jovial Horkey load
Last of the whole year's crop;

And Grace among the green boughs rode
Right plump upon the top.

In Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, customs nearly similar still exist: a correspondent has furnished us

with some lines which are used to celebrate the Harvest-home in the latter county:

The last load is pitched, decked with many a bough,
And we lead it away to the homestead and mow;
Hawkey, Hawkey, we cry, ev'ry man, woman, boy,
And join heart and voice in the full harvest joy 1;
Hawkey, Hawkey, we cry, and our glad voices raise ;
To the GIVER OF ALL be all thanks and all praise !!

About the 11th of August, the puffin (alca arctica) migrates. Priestholme, or Puffin's Island, about three quarters of a mile from the Isle of Anglesea, abounds with these birds; and their flocks, for multitude, may be compared to swarms of bees.

In the middle of the month, the swift disappears, and probably migrates to more southern regions. Rooks begin to roost in their nest trees, and young broods of goldfinches (fringilla carduelis) appear; lapwings (tringa vanellus) and linnets (fringilla linota) congregate; the nuthatch chatters; and, towards the end of the month, the redbreast is again heard.

At the beginning of August, melilot (trifolium officinale), rue (ruta graveolens), the water parsnip (sysimbrium nasturtium), horehound (marrubium vulgare), water-mint (mentha aquatica), the orpine (sedum telephium), and the gentiana amarella, have their flowers full blown. The purple blossoms of the meadow saffron (colchicum autumnale) now adorn the low moist lands. The number of plants in flower, however, is greatly lessened in August, those which bloomed in the former months running fast to seed; many of them,

Like the Lily,

Once mistress of the field,

Now hang their heads and perish.

As when the sunne in sommer hath most poure,
And that the ground with heate thereof is rived
For want of raine, the dry and parched flowre

"They shall joy before Thee according to the Joy in Harvest.'Isaiah ix, 3.

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Doth fade, and is as 'twere of life deprived;
But if in season come a fruitfull showre,
It riseth up, and is again revived.

This seldom happens, however, in August, unless the rain be preceded by a storm of thunder and lightning, which is not uncommon in this month.

The deep-voiced thunders roll, awful and loud,

Though distant.—

Fast falls the pelting rain.

Heaths and commons are now in all their beauty, the flowers of the various species of heath (erica) covering them with a fine purple hue. Ferns also begin to flower, the commonest sort of which is the fern or brakes (polypodium filix-mas); but the female (pteris aquilina) is the most beautiful plant.

The HEATH.

Here the furze,

Enriched among its spines, with golden flowers Scents the keen air; while all its thorny groups Wide scattered o'er the waste are full of life; For 'midst its yellow bloom, the assembled chats Wave high the tremulous wing, and with shrill notes, But clear and pleasant, cheer th' extensive heath. Linnets in numerous flocks frequent it too, And bashful, hiding in these scenes remote From his congeners, (they who make the woods And, the thick copses echo to their song): The heath-thrush makes his domicile; and while His patient mate with downy bosom warms Their future nestlings, he his love lay sings Loud to the shaggy wild. The erica here, That o'er the Caledonian hills sublime Spreads its dark mantle, (where the bees delight To seek their purest honey) flourishes, Sometimes with bells like amethysts, and then Paler, and shaded like the maiden's cheek With gradual blushes; other while as white As rime that hangs upon the frozen spray. Insects still continue to swarm; they sport in the sun from flower to flower, from fruit to fruit, and subsist themselves upon the superfluities of nature.

C. SMITH.

It is very amusing to observe, in the bright sun of an August morning, the animation and delight of

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