of the brightness of the stars and the
beauty of the sky, which is almost indescribable.

"Il faisait," says Bernardin de St. Pierre of such a scene, "une de ces
nuits delicieuses, si communes entre les tropiques, et dont le plus
abile pinceau ne rendrait pas le beaute. La lune paraissait au milieu du
firmament, entouree d'un rideau de nuages, que ses rayons dissipaient
par degres. Sa lumiere se repandait insensiblement sur les montagnes de
l'ile et sur leurs pitons, qui brillaient d'un vert argente. Les vents
retenaient leurs haleines. On entendait dans les bois, au fond des
vallees, au haut des rochers, de petits cris, de doux murmures
d'oiseaux, qui se caressaient dans leurs nids, rejouis par la clarte de
la nuit et la tranquillite de l'air. Tous, jusqu'aux insectes,
bruissaient sous l'herbe. Les etoiles etincelaient au ciel, et se
reflechissaient au sein de la mer, qui repetait leurs images
tremblantes."

In the Arctic and Antarctic regions the nights are often made quite
gorgeous by the Northern Lights or Aurora borealis, and the
corresponding appearance in the Southern hemisphere. The Aurora borealis
generally begins towards evening, and first appears as a faint glimmer
in the north, like the approach of dawn. Gradually a curve of light
spreads like an immense arch of yellowish-white hue, which gains rapidly
in brilliancy, flashes and vibrates like a flame in the wind. Often two
or even three arches appear one over the other. After a while coloured
rays dart upwards in divergent pencils, often green below, yellow in the
centre, and crimson above, while it is said that sometimes almost
black, or at least very dark violet, rays are interspersed among the
rings of light, and heighten their effect by contrast. Sometimes the two
ends of the arch seem to rise off the horizon, and the whole sheet of
light throbs and undulates like a fringed curtain of light; sometimes
the sheaves of rays unite into an immense cupola; while at others the
separate rays seem alternately lit and extinguished. Gradually the light
flickers and fades away, and has generally disappeared before the first
glimpse of dawn.

We seldom see the Aurora in the south of England, but we must not
complain; our winters are mild, and every month has its own charm and
beauty.

In January we have the lengthening days.

" February " the first butterfly.

" March " the opening buds.

" April " the young leaves and spring flowers