SONGBIRDS begin to sing early in the primaveral season, the Blackbird often in January, and the Thrush soon follows; the vernal birds sing on their arrival. All birds are silent during the early part of the aestival season, and begin to sing again about the first of September, but not with their vernal vivacity of intonation.

STOCK Mathiola incana, vern. fl. principally in May and June, but also all the year under dif ferent circumstances. There are three principal varieties of single Stocks, the red, the purple, and the white Stock, and all these are sometimes double.

STONE CURLEW Foedoa Oedicnemus, arrives in the middle of March, when its shrill voice is heard by night while on the wing, and so continues to be heard all the spring.

SUNFLOWER Helianthus annuus, aest. begins to blow at the end of July, and continues till the end of September, varying its times according to the circumstances of the seasons, soil, and time of being sown. See also PERENNIAL SUNflower.

SOUTHERNWOOD Artemesia Abrotanum, aest. fl. August and September, a shrub of a very peculiar and refreshing smell, flourishes all the summer, but does often not flower till August. The name may, perhaps, be as it is pronounced, Suddenwood, from the rapidity of its growth, and suddenness of becoming a shrub, with woody branches, from a mere slip.

SWEET WILLIAMS, a name of the Bearded Pink, the Dianthus barbatus. The plant is a native of parts of southern Germany; it is a favourite in our gardens, and belongs to the solstitial Flora, coming into flower in the middle of June, and continues. till the end of July. It varies much in the colours

of its flowers; the variety called the Painted Lady is much esteemed; some say that this plant derives its common name from St. William de Monte Virgine, whose festival is celebrated on the 25th of June, the time when the plant is usually in full flower. See Hone's "Every Day Book," where the fanciful dedication of plants to patron Saints in old times is alluded to. It is certain, however, that most of our English names for herbs are of monkish origin, and many of them have a religious allusion. The French call this plant Oeillet des Poëtes, the Italians Garafano; others call this flower Sops in Wine.

The Sweet William begins to flower about the middle of June, and continues through July.

SPARROWS Fringilla domestica. Sparrows congregate in August and September, and it is then that they feed in flocks in the standing corn, and are mistakenly destroyed for the mischief they do. Intelligent farmers are, however, now beginning to be aware that these, as well as most birds, do more good by the vermin they destroy in spring and summer than they do mischief by the grain and fruit they eat in autumn.

STARLINGS Sturni vulgares, congregate in great flocks about August 1st, and they increase in size through that month, and are seen all the autumn.

SWALLOW Hirundo rustica, first appears about April 5th, or from that to the 15th, becomes common early in May, numerous in June, and abundant in July, August, and September, when they congregate, the great body of them leaving us bout Michaelmas, while stragglers are seen till lear St. Simon and St. Jude, Oct. 28th, though eldom or never later. See Brumal Retreat of the

Swallow, third edit. London, 1813, &c.; also Gent. Magazine, alibi.

SWIFT or black Martin Hirundo apus, arrives about May 9th, and is seen in numbers about its haunts May 15th; it sometimes appears as a straggler the last week of April. Swifts disappear about the middle of August, except perhaps here and there one left behind.

SWITHIN'S DAY (ST.)-A critical time of the year, as to the character of the aestival season which begins at this time, and which being often marked by the commencement of showery weather, has given rise to the proverb, "That if it rain on St. Swithin it will rain for forty days;" we have known this exactly verified, as was the case in 1823. The solstitial flowers now give place gradually to the aestival, and the summer fruits ripen in rapid succession. The day begins sensibly to shorten, and we perceive that there is some actual night.

TANSY Tanacetum vulgare, aest. fl. August.

TENCH Cyprinus Tinca, makes a loud snapping noise with the lips as it rises to the water's surface from June to the end of August in warm weather at night.

THYME. 1. Wild Thyme Thymus Serpyllum, aest. fl. July and August. There are many varieties of the above; it is sometimes called Mother of Thyme. 2. Basil Thyme Th. Acinos, aest. fl. July and August. The Phalaena Papilionaria lives on wild Thyme, and Bees are so fond of these and other aromatic plants, that it might be worth while for the farmer to cultivate them on purpose for

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them. Virgil praises this sweet herb in his Bucolics.

Allia Serpyllumque herbas contundit olentes.

TIGER LILY Lilium tigrinum, aest. A large reflex salmon coloured Lily with black spots, fl. end of July and all August; it bears bulbs like the Orange Lily.

TREES.-Under this article we purpose to give a list of the principal timber and forest trees growing either wild or planted; the first date marked fr. being that of their first frondescence, or being in young leaf; the second fol. that of their perfect foliage, or full leaf; fl. flower; fal. leaf falling.

I. Oak Quercus pedunculata, fl. April, May, fr. May 10th, fol. June 1st.

2. Setfruited Oak Quercus sessiliflora, fl. April, May, fr. May 7th, fol. May 29th. The leaves of both the above are retained all winter; they turn yellow in September, and a red brown in October.

3. Durmast Oak Quercus pubescens, idem.

4. Turkey Oak Quercus Cerrs, native of south of Europe, fl. May, fr. idem.

5. Walnut Juglans regia, native of Persia, fl. April, May, fr. May; it casts its leaves in October. There are several other species.

6. Beech Fagus Sylvatica, fl. April, May, fr. end of April, fol. May.

7. Purple Beech Fagus purpurea, idem, found wild in Germany.

8. Chesnut Castanea vesca, fl. May and June, fr. April, fol. May.

9. Birch Betula alba, fl. April to June.

10. Weeping Birch Betula pendula, idem.

11. Hornbeam Carpinus Betulus, fl. March to May.

12. Hazel Corylus Avellana, fl. February to April, of which Cobnuts, Filberts, and others, are mere varieties.

13. Oriental Plane, Platanus Orientalis, fl. April and May.

14. American Plane Platanus Occidentalis, fl. April and May.

15. Spanish Plane Platanus acerifolia, idem. 16. Wavy Plane Plutanus Cuneata, idem.

17. Scotch Fir Pinus Sylvestris, fl. May, evergreen.

18. Pinaster Pinus Pinaster, fl. April and May. 19 Stone Pinea Pinus Pinea, fl. May.

20. Weymouth Pine Pinus strober, fl. April. 21 Norway Spruce Fir, Pinus Abies fl. Âpril. 22. White Spruce Fir Pinus alba, fl. May and June.

23. Sylver Fir Pinus Picea, fl. May.

24. Balm Pine Pinus Balsamea, fl. May. 25. Larch Pinus Larix, fl. March and April. 26. Black Larch Pinus pendula, fl. May. 27. Cedar of Lebanon Pinus Cedrus, fl. May. 28. Dammar Pine Pinus Dammara.

29. Cypress Cupressus sempervirens, fl. May. 30. Spreading Cyprus Cupressus horizontalis, B. idem.

31. Deciduous Cypress Cupressus disticha, fl. May, a and B.

32. White Poplar Populus alba, fl. March and April.

33. Gray Poplar Populus canescens.

34. Trembling Poplar Populus trepida.

35. Tremulous Poplar Populus tremula, fl. March and April.