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but is generally found at noon between 36° and 46°; towards the end of the month it sometimes rises to 50°, or even 52° or 54°. The severe weather, generally, breaks up with a sudden thaw, accompanied by wind and rain; torrents of water pour from the hills, and the snow is completely dissolved. Rivers swell and inundate the surrounding country, often carrying away bridges, cattle, mills, gates, &c. and causing great injury to the farmer. But so variable is the weather in this month, that frequently frost again usurps the year.'

In the course of this month all nature begins, as it were, to prepare for its revivification. God, as the Psalmist expresses it, renews the face of the earth :' and animate and inanimate nature seem to vie with each other in opening the way to spring. About the 4th or 5th, the woodlark (alauda arborea), one of our earliest and sweetest songsters, renews his note; a week after, rooks begin to pair, and geese (anas, anser) to lay; the thrush and the chaffinch sing; turkey cocks strut and gobble; the yellow haminer (emberiza citrinella) sings; and the green woodpecker (picus viridis) makes a loud noise.

Partridges (tetrao perdix) begin to pair; the house pigeon has young; field crickets open their holes ; missel thrushes couple; and woods owls hoot :-gnats play about, and insects swarm under sunny hedges; frogs (rana temporaria) croak, and the stone-curlew (otis ædicnemus) clamours. By the latter end of this month, the raven (corvus corax) has generally laid its eggs, and begun to sit. Moles (talpa europaus) commence their subterraneous operations.This animal makes its nest a little below the surface of the ground, forming a commodious apartment, where it prepares a warm bed of moss and herbage: from this there are several passages, in different directions, to which it can retreat, with its young ones, in case of danger; into these, likewise, it makes excursions in quest of food. In the act of forming its

tracks or runs, it throws up large heaps of mould, which are extremely injurious in meadows, grass lands, and cultivated grounds. Moles feed on worms, beetles, and the roots of plants,

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The flowers of the crocus (crocus vernus) appear Ifore the leaves are grown to their full length. The vernal and autumnal crocus have such an affinity, that the best botanists only make them varieties of the same genus. Yet the vernal crocus expands its flowers by the beginning of March at farthest, often in very rigorous weather, and cannot be retarded but by some violence offered: while the autumnal crocus, or saffron, alike defies the influence of the spring and summer, and will not blow till most plants begin to fade, and run to seed.

WHITE.

Say, what impels, amid surrounding snow, Congealed, the crocus' flamy bud to glow? Say, what retards, amid the summer's blaze, Th' autumnal bulb, till pale, declining days? The GOD OF SEASONS, whose pervading pow'r Controls the sun, or sheds the fleecy show'r : He bids each flow'r his quick'ning word obey, Or to each ling'ring bloom enjoins delay. The barren strawberry (fragraria sterilis),, the laurustinus (viburnum tinus), and the yew-tree (taxus baccata), are in flower. The elder-tree (sambucus nigra) begins to put forth its flower-buds, and the çatkins of the hazel are very conspicuous in the hedges. The gooseberry bush (ribes grossularia) and the red currant (ribes rubrum) show their young leaves about the end of the month. Many plants appear above ground in February, but few flowers, except the snowdrop, are to be found. This icicle, changed into a flower,' is sometimes fully opened from the beginning of the month.

The husbandman is now eager to commence the work of ploughing, which important business is finished in this month, if the weather permit;-early -potatoes are set, hedges repaired, trees lopped, and wet lands drained. Poplars, willows, osiers, and other aquatics, are planted.

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AMONG the Romans, March, from Mars, was the first month, and marriages made in this month, as well as in May, were accounted unhappy. 'March is drawn in tawny, with a fierce aspect, a helmet upon his head, to shew this moneth was dedicated to Mars, his father; the sign Aries in his right hand, leaning upon a spade; in his left hand almond blossomes and scients; upon his arm a basket of garden-seeds.' (Peacham, p. 418). The Saxons called March 'LentMonat, that is, according to our now orthography, Length-moneth, because the dayes did then first begin in length to exceed the nights. And this moneth being by our ancestors so called when they received Christianity, and consequently therewith the antient Christian custome of fasting, they called this chiefe season of fasting, the fast of Lenet, because of the Lenetmonat, whereon the most part of the time of this fasting alwaies fell; and hereof it commeth that we now call it Lent, it being rather the fast of Lent, though

the former name of Lenet monat be long since lost, and the name of March borrowed in stead thereof." (Verstegan, pp. 59, 60.)

March, various, fierce and wild, with wind-crackt cheeks,
By wilder Welshmen led, and crowned with leeks.

Remarkable Days.

1.-SAINT DAVID.

CHURCHILL.

SAINT DAVID, in Welsh Dafydd, was descended from the royal family of the Britons, being uncle to the great Arthur, and son of Xantus, prince of Ceretica, now Cardiganshire. Being ordained a priest, he retired into the Isle of Wight, and embraced an ascetic life; but after a long course of study, he emerged from his solitude, and preached the gospel to the Britons. He built a chapel at Glastonbury, and founded twelve monasteries, the principal of which was in the vale of Ross, near Menevia. He compelled all his monks. to assiduous manual labour, and did not allow them any cattle to assist them in their agricultural work. They were never suffered to speak but on occasions of absolute necessity, and they never ceased to pray, at least mentally, during their labour. They returned late in the day to the monastery, to read, write, and pray. Their food was only bread and vegetables with a little salt, and they never drank any thing better than a little milk mingled with water. After their repast they spent three hours in prayer and adoration; then took a little rest, rose at cockcrowing, and continued in prayer till they went out to work. Their habit was of the skins of beasts. When any one partitioned to be admitted, he waited ten days at the door, during which time he was tried by harsh words, repeated refusals, and painful labours, that he might learn to die to himself. When he was admitted, he left all his worldly substance behind him,

for the monastery never received any thing on the score of admission. All the monks discovered their most secret thoughts and temptations to the abbot.

The Pelagian heresy springing up a second time in Britain, the bishops, in order to suppress it, held a synod, at Brevy in Cardiganshire, in the year 519, and Saint David was invited to this venerable assembly. At the close of the synod, St. Dubritius, the Archbishop of Caerleon, resigned his see to St. David, whose tears and opposition were only to be overcome by the absolute command of the synod; which however allowed him, at his request, the liberty to transfer his see from Caerleon, then a populous city, to Menevia, now called St. David's, a retired place, formed by nature for solitude.

Gyraldus adds, that St. David was the great ornament and pattern of his age. He spoke with much force and energy, but his example was more powerful than his eloquence; and he has in all succeeding ages been the glory of the British church. He continued in his last see many years; and having founded several monasteries, and been the spiritual father of many saints both British and Irish, died about the year 544, at a very advanced age. He was buried in

the church of Saint Andrew, which, with the town and whole diocess, are named after him. Near the church stand several chapels, formerly resorted to with great devotion: the principal is that of St. Nun, mother of St. David, near which is a beautiful well still frequented by pilgrims. Another chapel is sacred to St. Lily, surnamed Gwas-Dafydd, that is, St. David's man; for he was his beloved disciple and companion in his retirement. He is honoured there on the third, and St. Nun, who lived and died the spiritual mother of many religious women, on the second of March. The three first days of March were formerly holidays in South Wales in honour of these three saints; at present only the first is kept a festival throughout the principality.

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