2o6 pPaat Tsore, Tsege?^^)/, cm^ Ts>Ljricy. 



derived the word Huzza ! in our language, which was probably at 



first a religious exclamation like the Evoke I of the Bacchantes." 



The English newspapers lately gave an account of a singular 

 species of American Acacia, stated to be growing at Virginia, 

 Nevada, and exhibiting all the characfteristics of a sensitive plant. 

 At the commencement of 1883 the Acacia was reported to be about 

 eight feet high, and growing rapidly. When the sun sets, its leaves 

 fold together and the ends of the twigs coil up like a pig-tail ; and 

 if the latter are handled, there is evident uneasiness throughout the 

 plant. Its highest state of agitation was reached when the tree 

 was removed from the pot in which it was matured into a larger 

 one. To use the gardener's expression, it went very mad. It had 

 scarcely been planted in its new quarters before the leaves began 

 to stand up in all directions, like the hair on the tail of an angry 

 cat, and soon the whole plant was in a quiver. At the same time 

 it gave out a most sickening and pungent odour, resembling that of 

 a rattlesnake when teased. The smell so filled the house, that it 

 was necessary to open all the doors and windows, and it was a full 

 hour before the plant calmed down and folded its leaves in peace. 



ACANTHUS. — The Acanthus was a favourite plant amongst 

 both the Greeks and Romans, who employed it for decorative pur- 

 poses : its leaves form the principal adornment of the Corinthian 

 capital, which was invented by Callimachus. How the idea was sug- 

 gested to the architect is told us by Vitruvius. A young Corinthian 

 damsel fell ill and died. After her interment, her nurse gathered her 

 trinkets and ornaments into a basket, and lest they should be in- 

 jured by the weather, she covered the basket with a tile, and 

 placed it near her young mistress's tomb over the root of an Acan- 

 thus, the stalks and leaves of which burst forth in the Spring, and 

 spreading themselves on the outside of the basket, were bent back 

 again at the top by the corner of the tile. Callimachus happening 

 to pass by, was charmed with the beauty and novelty of this ac- 

 cidental arrangement, and took from it the idea of the Corinthian 

 chapter. Both Greeks and Romans made use of the Acanthus 

 mollis in the form of garlands, with which they adorned their build- 

 ings, their furniture, and even their clothing. Theocritus speaks 

 of a prize cup as having " a crust of soft Acanthus." Virgil nar- 

 rates that the plant formed the basis of a design embroidered on 

 the mantle of Helen of Troy ; and tells us that the handles of Al- 

 cimedon's cup were enwreathed with what he elsewhere terms 



" Smiling Acanthus." Old English names for this plant were 



Brank-ursine and Bear's-breech. Acanthus is stated by astro- 

 logers to be under the dominion of the Moon. 



ACHYRANTHES.— The Apamarga, an Indian variety of this 

 plant, has given the name to the sacrificial rite called Apdmdrga Hovia, 

 because at daybreak they offer a handful of flour made from the 

 seeds of the Apamarga {Achyranthes aspera). According to a legend 



