FERNS, AND THEIR ALLIES, 21 



liking for it, while other carnivorous animals have 

 not." 1 



Scaliger gives a similar description, adding that it 

 is not the fruit, the melon, but the whole plant that 

 resembles a lamb. This does not tally with the 

 account given by Odorico da Pordenone, an Indian 

 traveller, who, before the Barometz had been heard of 

 in Europe, was informed that a plant grew on some 

 island in the Caspian Sea which bore melon-like fruit, 

 resembling a lamb ; and this tree is figured and de- 

 scribed by Sir John Maunderville, with the young 

 lambs projecting from the fruits. 



The Barometz, or Scythian Lamb {Cibothnn Baro- 

 metz), is the name given to a fern growing in Tartary, 

 the root of which, says Professor Martyn, from the 

 variety of its form, is easily made by art to take the 

 form of a lamb (called by the Tartars Baromets), " or 

 rather that of a rufous dog, which the common names 

 in China and Cochin China imply, namely Caic-tick, 

 and Kew-tsie." The description given of this fern 

 represents the root as rising above the ground in an 

 oblong form, covered all over with hairs ; towards 

 one end it frequently becomes narrower, and then 

 thicker, so as to give somewhat of the shape of a 

 head and neck, and it has sometimes two pendulous 

 hairy excrescences resembling ears ; at the other end 

 a short shoot extends out into a tail. Four fronds 

 are chosen in a suitable position, and are cut off to a 

 proper length to represent the legs ; and thus a vege- 

 table lamb is produced.^ 



' Richard Folkard, Jun., "Plant-lore, Legends, and Lyrics," p. 

 121. (1884.) * Ibid , p. 243. 



