472 HABITS AND LATIN NAMES OF BRITISH PLANTS. 



Goats eat this plant ; Cows arc not fond of it ; Horses refuse it. The seeds yield 

 an essential oil. 



The larvae of Alysia Apii (Curt. Brit. Entom., Vol. III., t. 141) feed on the 

 leaves of the cultivated varieties of this plant. 



Aquilegia. — From aqua, water, and lego, to gather ; from the shape of the 

 leaves, which retain water; or, according to Hooker, from Aquila, an Eagle, 

 whose claws the nectaries resemble. 



Aquilegia vulgaris, Common Columbine. — The beauty of its blosspms has 

 long introduced the Columbine into our flower-gardens. Goats eat it. Sheep are 

 not fond of it. Cows, Horses, and Swine refuse it. The elongated and incurved 

 nectary of this flower seems to bid defiance to the entry of the Bee in search of 

 the hidden treasure ; but the admirable ingenuity of the sagacious insect is not to 

 be thus defeated, for on ascertaining the impracticability of effecting his usual 

 admission, with his proboscis, he actually penetrates both calyx and blossom 

 near the depot of the honey, and thus extracts the latent sweets without further 

 difficulty. Cultivation produces various colours ; and Mr. Phillips observes, in 

 Flora Historica, the singular circumstance that it has three distinct modes of 

 doubling its flowers, viz., by the multiplication of its petals, to the exclusion of 

 the nectaries ; by the increase of the nectaries, to the exclusion of the petals ; 

 and frequently by the multiplication of the nectaries while the proper petals 

 remain. 



Arabis. — Originally from Arabia, but this name is not very precise, as the 

 species of the genus are found in many parts of the world, in arid, stony, and 

 sandy places, in cold and mild climates. 



Arabis turrita, Tower Wall-cress, Tower Mustard, Great Turkey-pod. — The 

 whole plant is of a light green colour ; it is a native of Spain, France, Switzer- 

 land, Italy, Sicily, and Transylvania, on mountains, in hedges, and coppices. 

 In Britain it is one of our rarest natives, and may, probably, have escaped 

 from gardens. It is said to have been observed by Professor J. Martyn, before 

 the year 1732, on a wall at Lewisham, in Kent. Many of the exotic species 

 of this genus, especially the perennial ones, are interesting little plants to the 

 botanist, and are well adapted for rock-work. 



" ■ The fall of kings, 



The rage of nations, and the crush of states, 

 Move not the man, who from the world escaped, 

 In still retreats, and flowery solitudes, 

 To Nature's voice attends, from month to month, 

 And day to day, thro' the revolving year, 

 Admiring sees her in her every shape, 

 feels all her sweet emotions at his heart, 

 Takes what she libVal gives, nor thinks of more." 



TaoMrsoN. 



