Plants usually in flower.—Wallflower, shepherd’s purse, buttercup, anemone, meadow vetchling, common vetch, red clover, white clover, broom, wild rose, hawthorn, poison hemlock, cow parsnip, carrot, daisy, dandelion, speedwell, mullein, snapdragon, thyme, sage, red deadnettle, white deadnettle, lily of the valley, wild hyacinth, star of Bethlehem, rushes, sedges, sweet-scented vernal grass, slender foxtail, meadow foxtail, Timothy grass, Yorkshire fog, wild oat, annual meadow grass, smooth-stalked meadow grass, rough-stalked meadow grass, meadow fescue, sheep’s fescue, perennial rye grass, couch grass, lime, sycamore, and others.
Lime leaves unfold.
Fruits of strawberry, willow, and other plants are ripe.
Haymaking begins.
ANIMAL LIFE.
Mammals.—Examine young wild rabbits ([Chap. XII.]).
Birds.—Most birds are hatching eggs. First brood of swallows hatched at end of month. Drake’s plumage becomes similar to duck’s ([p. 329]).
Frogs and Toads.—Tadpoles reach full size.
Insects.—All stages of Lepidoptera very abundant. Caterpillars of tiger-moth ([p. 364]) pupate at end of month. Vapourer caterpillars ([p. 364]) may be found at end of month. Larvae of aquatic insects in ponds; pupae of Dytiscus ([p. 361]) in soil on banks.