The heat of the season, unless patiently endured, has a tendency to inflame the mind, and render it irritable. On some infants its effects are visible in their restlessness and peevishness. Parents, and those who have the care of childhood, must now watch themselves as well as their offspring.
A father’s voice in threat’ning tone
The storm of rage revealing,
His flashing eye and angry frown,
Would rouse a kindred feeling.
But where’s the child his sigh can hear,
When grief his heart is rending?
And who unmov’d can see the tear,
A parent’s cheek descending.
Oh, yes! a child may brave the heat,
A father’s rage confessing,
But, ah! how sweet his smile to meet,
And, oh! how dear his blessing!
Then let me shun with shrinking fear,
The thought of not conceding,
I could not bear affection’s tear,
When parent’s lips were pleading.
The Cross Bill. (Loxia curvi rostra.)
In July, 1821, at West Felton, in Shropshire, this rare and beautiful bird was seen, in a flight of about eighteen or twenty, alighting on the tops of pine trees and larch; the cone of which it opens with adroit neatness, holding it in one claw, like a parrot, and picking out the seeds. They were of various colours, brown, green, yellow, and crimson, and some entirely of the most lovely rose colour; hanging and climbing in fanciful attitudes, and much resembling a group of small paroquets. Their unusual note, somewhat like the quick chirp of linnets, but much louder, first attracted attention. The observer had repeated opportunities of viewing them to the greatest advantage, by means of a small telescope. They also eat excrescent knobs, or the insects formed therein by the cynips, at the ends of the young spruce branches. These birds are natives of Germany and the Pyrenees, and are very rarely seen in England. It was remarked, that the same mandible of the bill crossed on the right side in some birds, and on the left in others.[209]
FLORAL DIRECTORY.
Red Lupin. Lupinus perennis.
Dedicated to St. Bonaventure.