WYCOMBE WILD FLOWERS. 15 
altogether, and was found fast asleep in a corner of his cell, 
emitting such groans the while, that extreme unction would have 
been administered forthwith, had any brother been steady enough 
to perform the service. But the worst case of all was that of 
poor Lay-brother Francis, the tailor in ordinary to the monastery, 
who saw three needles when he should have seen but one, and 
occupied his time for more than a week in endeavouring to thread 
the two imaginary ones; during which time we can readily con- 
ceive that the robes of the Brotherhood got somewhat out of repair. 
However, we are told that the holy men all recovered, each, 
doubtless, resolving to be cautious ere he tasted a salad, the 
composition of which was unknown to him. And from this tale 
we may deduce a moral—Don’t eat of made dishes unless you 
know what’s in them. 
Henbane may be recognised, when seen, by its somewhat 
large, pale green leaves, which are usually much cut, and being 
viscid, support a large quantity of dust: the whole plant is 
extremely clammy and downy, emitting a peculiar and offensive 
smell. The woody stem, which in fine specimens is much 
branched, varies in height from one to two feet, but is frequently 
shorter. The calyces are large, becoming upright after the fall- 
ing off of the corollas: they are composed of strong fibres, and 
may usually be noticed in groups of ‘‘ skeleton flowers.” The 
monopetalous corollas are somewhat bell-shaped: those which 
first appear seem quite embedded in the topmost leaves, but as 
the stem elongates, we observe that they are really seated on 
short stalks in the azils of the leaves—7.e., where these join the 
stem. ‘They are of a pale straw-colour, or brownish yellow, 
exquisitely veined with lurid purple, which hue also tinges deeply 
the centre of each. There are five stamens and one pistil; the 
seeds are black and very numerous, of about the size of a’‘mustard- 
seed. The Henbane has a great partiality for waste ground, and 
may usually be seen springing up where a portion of woodland 
has been cleared: in newly made gardens it is sometimes a trouble- 
some weed. Preferring a chalky soil, it is seldom to be found 
in the same place for two successive seasons: we know but one 
permanent locality for it near Wycombe—about the rubbish heaps 
