94 LORANTHEiE —MISTLETOE TRIBE 



old renown as a medicine, and the magical properties mentioned by Virgil 

 and other ancient poets are remembered, in our country, at least, but as old 

 superstitions. The clear white berries have been made into bird-lime, but 

 recent inventions are superseding that use of the plant, and these fruits will, 

 probably, soon be left to feed the missel-thrush or "storm-cock," as he is 

 called in country places, whose harsh notes from the apple-tree sometimes 

 sound a suitable prelude to the raving of winds and the pelting rains and 

 snows which they are thought to predict. The fruits look very beautiful, 

 however, when mingled with the red berries and glossy leaves of the holly 

 in the winter bouquet. The plant is very properly excluded from the 

 boughs which deck the churches at that season ; not, however, for the reason 

 which that orthodox old antiquary. Brand, supposes, because of its heathenish 

 associations, for these are so little remembered now that they need not inter- 

 fere with modern practices, but because it is so often in rustic places 

 associated with Christmas merriment, that it might awaken remembrances 

 less favourable to thought and devotion. The playful customs beneath the 

 Mistletoe-bough in the country-house are of old antiquity in our land, and 

 are supposed to have originated in the circumstance that the plant was 

 dedicated to the goddess Friga, the Venus of the Saxons. In the feudal 

 ages, the bough was gathered -with much ceremony on the evening before 

 Christmas Day, and hung up in hall or kitchen with loud shouts and 

 rejoicing ; — 



" On Christmas Eve the bells were rung ; 

 On Christmas Eve the mass was sung ; 

 That only night in all the year 

 Saw the stoled priest the chalice rear ; 

 The damsel donn'd her kirtle sheen ; 

 The hall was dress'd with holly green ; 

 Forth to the woods did merry-men go 

 To gather in the Mistletoe ; 

 Then open'd wide the baron's hall, 

 To vassal, tenant, serf, and all." 



From Herrick's "Hesperides," we find that this plant, and its companions, 

 retained their places as ornaments in the house till Candlemas Day, at which 

 time the poet says — 



" Down with the rosemary and bayes, 



Down with the Mistletoe : 

 Instead of holly now upraise 



The greener box for show : 

 The holly hitherto did sway, 



Let box now domineer ; 

 Until the dancing Easter Day, 



Or Easter's Eve appear." 



The "crooked yew" was to succeed the "youthful box," and the "birch, 

 and many flowers beside," were to yield to the "green rushes and scented 

 bents," till the close of the year, when Mistletoe and holly should resume 

 their reign. 



The Mistletoe is pretty general in Europe, and in some other portions of 

 the globe attains a larger size than with us, and is more frequent. Thunberg 

 says that the parasitic Cape Mistletoe, Fiscum capense, was disseminated every- 

 where on the branches of the trees by means of the birds, which ate plenti- 



