298 FLORA HISTORICA. 



PIMPERNEL. Anagallis. 



Natural Order Rotacece. Primulacees, Juss : a Genus 

 of the Pentandria Monogynia Class. 



•* The hollow winds begin to blow, 

 The clouds look black, the glass is low ; 



***** 



Clos'd is the pink-ey'd Pimpernel], 



****** 



'Twill surely rain, I see, with sorrow ; 

 Our jaunt must be put off to-morrow." 



Dr. Jenner. 



This beautiful little plant, whose sensitive flow- 

 ers form the peasant's barometer, is frequently 

 called the Shepherd's Weather-glass, because 

 the corollas never expand in rainy weather, or 

 when the air is moist, but on the contrary when 

 the atmosphere is dry and the sun shining, they 

 display their scarlet and purple with happy effect, 

 bespangling the earth with their bright eyes in 

 the most agreeable manner, but which is regu- 

 larly and firmly closed when Phoebus retires to 

 the west. This is one of the wonderful instincts 

 of inanimate nature, for were it otherwise, the 



