252 pPant 12)01*©, IszQer^f, and. "bLjrIe/, 



posed of Betonica. Antonius Musa, physician to Augustus, wrote 

 a treatise on the excellencies of Betonica, which he affirmed would 

 cure forty-seven different ailments. Franzius went so far as to 

 assert that the wild beasts of the forest, aware of its surpassing 

 Virtues, availed themselves of its efficacy when they were wounded. 



At a time when a belief in witchcraft was rife in England, it 



was generally understood that the house where Hevha Betonica was 

 sown, was free from all mischief. In Yorkshire, the Water Betony 

 was formerly called Bishop's Leaves. In Italy, at the present day, 

 there are several proverbs relating to the virtues of Betony, one of 

 which is, " May you have more virtues than Betony; " and another, 

 " Known as well as Betony." 



BIGNONIA. — One of the native names of the Bignonia 

 Indica, or Indian Trumpet-flower, is Kdmadilti, or the Messenger of 

 Love. Under the name of Patala, the Bignonia suaveolens is specially 

 consecrated by the Indians to the god Brahma. The name of 

 Patala, however, is given in the Sanscrit to Durga, the wife of 

 Siva, probably on account of the colour of her idols, which assimi- 

 late to the colour of the flowers of the Bignonia. 



BILBERRY.— The origin of the Bilberry or Whortleberry 

 {Vacciniitm Myrtillus), according to the mythology of the ancients, is 

 as follows : — CEnomaiis, father of the lovely Hippodamia, chose for 

 his attendant the young Myrtillus, son of Mercury. Proud of his 

 skill, he stipulated that all his daughter's suitors should compete 

 for the prize in a chariot race with him. Pelops, who was eager 

 to obtain the beautiful Hippodamia, promised Myrtillus a large 

 reward if he would take out the linch-pin of his master's chariot. 

 Myrtillus was not proof againt the ofter : in consequence, the 

 chariot was overturned, and ffinomaiis mortally injured; but as he 

 expired, he implored Pelops to avenge him, which he did by throw- 

 ing the treacherous attendant into the sea. The waters having 

 borne back his body to the shore, Mercury changed it to the shrub 

 called after his name, Myrtillus, a name formerly given to the plant 

 producing the Myrtle-berry, a fruit largely imported in the middle 

 ages, and used in medicine and cookery — of the same genus as the 

 English Bilberry, which is often found growing on the sea-shore. 

 The Scotch name of this shrub is Blaeberry, the praises of which 

 are often sung in Northern ballads. 



" Will ye go, lassie, go to the braes of Balquhidder, 

 Whare the Blaeberries grow 'mong the bonny blooming Heather?" 



Bilberries are held by the astrologers to be under Jupiter. (See 

 also Whortleberry.) 



BIRCH. — According to Scandinavian mythology, the Birch 

 (Betula alba) was consecrated to the god Thor, and symbolised the 

 return of Spring. The Greeks and Romans had not much know- 

 ledge of the tree, but the latter seem to have regarded it with a 

 feeling of dread in consequence of the fasces of the magistracy being 



