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51.

13th Feb. 1944. 

A dry but quite dull day, mild in early part, chilly with rising cold wind in afternoon, falling glass, & rain at 7 P.M.

In afternoon went to Marley, Co. DU., & walked round estate via. glen, across golf-links & back to Rathfarnham.  Tried sweeping but took only one small Cynipid ( ) & one small “Staph.” ( ).  On way there saw a plant of Anthriscus sylvestris in full flower by mill-race 1/4 mile S. of Rathfarnham & in Marley saw Primroses, L. Celandine, Bush Vetch (one plant with many flowers & buds), Viola odorata (near garden!) & V. Reichenbachiana in flower.

[Rev. K.M. Dunlop (formerly of Athey & now Dartry Rd.) reported a Chiff-chaff in his garden on 10th (?) & Art O’Murnaghan reported a large bumble-bee on a dandelion flower at Ballycorus, Co. DU., on 2nd Feb., which he doubtfully recognised as a queen Bombus lapidarius, but I suspect it was a queen B. terrestris! A.W.S.]


52.

14th Feb. 1944. 

A very lovely day, after a slight frost at dawn & a wet early night.

Salix cinerea ♀︎ catkins, in back garden, showing stigma & Chionodoxa 1st flowers out in front garden.  One Daffodil in back garden almost open.  First flower on White Hyacinth under dining-room window open.  A second flower on Purple Crocus in front garden - the first time it has ever had two flowers!  One small flower on Korokia bush in back garden on which hundreds of buds have been evident for some weeks & one single flower opened about 1st Feb:  it will be remembered that this bush also flowered in Feb. last year - at a time when the bushes of same species in Bot. Garden, Glasnevin, were in winter condition (fide Mr. Besant!) - & also that the same bush flowered again in May '43 & produced many berries in the autumn, but those branches which flowered most in Feb. flowered best in May & vice versa!  [After a few odd flowers opening over a week or more the plant of Korokia seemed to go into hibernation & no more buds opened during the next month!  A.W.S. 8/3/44]

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