WOODSIDE, BURNSIDE, HILLSIDE, AND MARSH - 1894 - PREFACE - THE favourable reception which has been accorded to Random Recollections of Voodland, Fen and Hill, has encouraged me to prepare another series of similar sketches. In this volume, as in that just referred to, my aim has been to bring under the notice of the general public, in readable and untechnical language, a few of the interesting phenomena which are to be observed everywhere around us by those who take the trouble to look for them, and to give such explanations of their causes as may easily be understood even by those whose scientific knowledge is small. In selecting localities, I have chosen for three of the chapters what are now historical spots. l Woodside describes a ramble from Rochester to Cobham, with a visit to the famous inn to which Mr. Tupman retired after being jilted by Miss Wardle, the return being through Cobham Park, a walk which it will be remembered was a favourite with Mr. Pickwick and the Pickwickians. Hillside describes part of that famous ground over which Mr. Winkle and Mr. Tupman are said to have displayed their remarkable sporting abilities whilst l1 Mad introduces the reader to those l meshes over which Little Pip so frequently gazed to the river where lay the hulks from which the convict escaped, and which the latter had to cross before his memorable meeting with Little Pip in Cooling churchyard. iii CONTENTS WOODSIDE Morning in early June-The road to Cobham-Dickens home-Lesser celandine-Hedgeside inhabitants-Scented violets-The dog violetFer tilization-Cleistogrtmons flowers-The wild cherry tree--Ivy-Aerial spiders-Weather rophets-Distinction between spiders and insects-Different kinds OF webs-Anatomy of apider-Spiders eyes-Park Pale-The inhabitants of a pond-The warty newGMetamorphoses of the newtInsectivorous habits-Relatives-The hawthorn-The mistle- Its hosts in the Western counties-Parasitical plants--Smut and ergotStructure of hawthorn flowers--Red blossoms-Old Mayday-Setting the time rightThe thrushs nest-Grass moths-Mimicry-The ash tree-Kentish wood clearings-Charming pictures-Roses-The different kinds of wild roses-Structure of the hip, apple and strawberry-Garden roses-Simplicity and complexity in Nature-Age of rose trees--The bedeguar-Plant g a l l e a t t a r of roses-Perfumes of flowers-Uses of odours to plants-Sense of smell in insects-Sense of sight imperfecGHow the butterfly selects the right food plantiUnattractive flowers most strongly scented-Ornamental corollas-Odours of leaves-Genetic sequence in the colours of flowers-Defensive odours-The blue-tit and its nest--Insectivorous birds-The Small Ermine moth-Tortrices-The Green Oak moth-Peregrine falcon-The hawfinch-Pheasants and quails-The Bee Hawk moth-The gold-crests nest-The butcher bird-Its method of alaughter-Shambles--The Park-Cobham- The Leather Bottle -A peaceful S oGThe oak-Invigorating effects of Spring-Dioecious plants- gantic results from infinitesimal beginnings-Lessons of the long ago-The squirrel and its nesGA squirrels dietHybernation-The heronry-Park Pale again-Chestnuts-S heets of hyacinths-Sunset and nqhtfall-Nocturnal wanderers-Bats-NighbThe barn owl and its housekeeping-Ont of the woods-The nebular hypothesis-Stars and planets--Old memories-Schoolboys and orchards-Sunday Schoole and their teachers-A rebellion-Off to the woods--Chestnuts-The keeper--The Chase-A p m of victory-The difference in the morning - The horse-chestnut-Recent changes-Home . . . . . pp...