IN THE GREEN LANES: A Book for a Country Stroll. BY J. E. TAYLOR, F.L.S., F.G.S., &o., AUTHOR OF "GEOLOGICAL STORIES;" "HALF-HOURS AT THE SEA-SIDE;" ETC. IN the compilation of the following pages it has been intended to administer to the growing love of Natural History by introducing to the notice of intelligent people, who have not had time to enter into the technicalities of scientific questions, some of the myriad objects which are to be seen in an ordinary country walk. To the young especially, the following pages are addressed, in the belief that by drawing their attention to the marvellous works of the Creator, they will be provided with material for thoughtful amusement, and be thereby educated into better and wiser men than if they passed through life ignorant of the marvels which had surrounded them. CONTENTS. Sympathy with natural objects-Ease with which various ani- mals accustom themselves to circumstances-Sacredness of life-Definition of a "tarn "-How they have been formed -Agencies at work to stock them with life-Tarns in boulder clay, chalk, and new red sandstone-How formed— Origin of former deposit-Old lanes-Supposed sea-beaches, how formed-Antiquity of our hedge-rows-How the high banks have been formed-Effects of meteorological action- Occupation roads-Value of our hawthorn fences-Their use PAGE THE FISHES, MOLLUSCA, AND OTHER OBJECTS IN THE TARN. Inhabitants of the tarn-The Pike and its parasite-Habits of mals of the recent separation of England from Continent- Fresh-water snails-Paludina, Neritina, Succinea, Ancylus, &c. Their microscopic teeth-Valvata, Anodon, Unio, &c. -Geological antiquity of many common genera of fresh- water shells-Caddis-worms and their tubes-Antiquity of ditto-Water-beetles, their breathing organs-Water-fleas― Various species-Cyclops-Natural history of fresh-water PAGE THE REPTILES IN THE TARN AND THE GREEN LANES. Disappointments of an angler-Prejudice against newts- Superstitions concerning ditto-The Amphibia-Their phy- siological structure-The Great Water Newt-Its habits- Smooth Newt-Development of eggs of ditto-Its Tadpoles Their natural history-The Palmate Newt-Frogs and Toads-Distribution of reptiles-Why there are so few rep- tiles in Ireland-Evidence afforded by reptiles to geological reasoning-Larval stages of a young Frog-Voracity of Frog Tadpoles-The Edible Frog-The common Toad-Prejudices concerning ditto-The Natterjack-How a Toad moults— Toad and Frog Spawn-Geological antiquity of reptiles— Relations between reptiles and birds-The Ringed Snake -Eggs of ditto-Habits of ditto-Snake and Viper-The Smooth Snake-Antiquity of ditto-Physiological structure of Viper's teeth-Habits of the Viper-Antiquity of Snakes -How Snakes crawl-The Blind-worm-Superstitions con- How birds lend a charm to our green lanes-Birds-nesting— the Kite and Hobby-The Heron-Its abundance in the eastern counties-The King-fisher-Its nest-Newly-ac- quired habits of some of our British birds-The Moor-hen and Coot-The Cuckoo-Its relation to its young-Common songsters of our lanes-The tits, various species of-The Ruff and Reeve-Their pugnacity -Fieldfare and Lapwing -Eggs of latter-Artistic character of certain birds' nests— How they are built-Relation between songsters and help- less young-The philosophy of nest-building-The Haw- finch and Bullfinch-The Siskin-Woodpecker and Common Creeper-Nuthatch-Jay-Sedge-warbler, its song-Reed- PAGE THE BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS OF THE GREEN LANES. Metamorphoses of butterflies and moths-Butterfly's proboscis THE BEETLES AND OTHER INSECTS OF THE GREEN LANES. Colours of beetles-The Tiger Beetle-Musk Beetle-Sun |