pfant Tsore, "begeT^/, cmel Isijnq/", 227 



serpents wlio feed upon it, that they speedily cease to be veno- 

 mous. The water distilled from the leaves and blossom of the 

 Arbutus was accounted a very powerful agent against the plague 

 and poisons. 



ARCHANGEL. — The name of Archangel is applied to the 

 Angelica airhangclica ; the Red Archangel, Stachys sylvatica ; the 

 White Archangel, Lamium album; and the Yellow Archangel, 

 L. Galeohdolon. Nemnich says, the plant originally obtained its 

 name from its having been revealed by an angel, in a dream. 

 Parkinson considers it was so called on account of its heavenly 

 virtues. Gerarde remarks of it, that " the flowers are baked with 

 sugar, as Roses are, which is called Sugar Roset : as also the dis- 

 tilled water of them, which is used to make the heart merry, to 

 make a good colour in the face, and to refresh the vitall spirits." 



ARECA. — The Areca Catechu is one of the sacred plants of 

 India, producing the perfumed Areca Nuts, favourite masticatories 

 of the Indian races. So highly is this nut esteemed by the natives, 

 that they would rather forego meat and drink than their precious 

 Areca Nuts, which they cut into narrow pieces, and roll up with a 

 little lime in the leaves of the Pepper, and chew. The Areca Palm 

 is known in Hindostan as Supyari, and in Japan as Jambi. The 

 Hindus adorn their gods with these Nuts, and forbid respecflable 

 women to deck either their heads or bosoms with them. Accord- 

 ing to Indian tradition, Devadamani, subduer of the gods, once 

 appeared at the court of King Vikramaditya, to play with him, 

 clothed in a robe the colour of the sky, having in his hand and in his 

 mouth an Areca Nut enveloped in a leaf of the Kalpa-tree. This 

 probably explains the Indian custom of presenting an Areca Nut 

 to guests, which is eaten with the leaf of the Betel. In China, a 

 similar custom prevails, but the Nut given there is the Betel Nut. 



ARISTOLOCHIA.— The old Enghsh name of this plant 

 was Birth-wort, derived from its reputed remedial powers in partu- 

 rition — probably first suggested by the shape of the corolla — 

 whence also its Greek name, from aristos, best, and locheia, delivery. 

 According to Pliny, if the expedtant mother desired to have a son, 



she employed Aristolochia, with the flesh of an ox. Certain of 



the species are renowned, in some European countries, for having 

 a wonderful influence over fishes and serpents. A. Seypentavia is 

 reputed to be so ofiensive to the serpent tribe, that they will not 

 only shun the place where it grows, but will even flee from any 

 traveller who carries a piece of the plant in his hand. The snake 

 jugglers of Egypt are believed to stupefy these reptiles by means 

 of a decoction distilled from the plant, and it is asserted that a few 

 drops introduced into the mouth of a serpent will so intoxicate it 



as to render it insensible and harmless. Apuleiiis recommends 



the use of Aristolochia against the Evil E3^e. The Birth-wort is 



under the dominion of Venus. 



Q— 2 



