VEGETABLE POISONS, 15 



The berries which fucceed the flowers are 

 globular ; they are firft of a red colour, and 

 afterward become black. They have a 

 tempting appearance, and from that circum- 

 ftance many have been induced to eat them 

 to their deftrudtion. It flowers in July. 



The deadly nightfiiade is found in woods, 

 hedges, and where the ground is rich from 

 manure, in the neighbourhood of towns and 

 houfes. It is a native of England. 



LiGHTFoOT* found it in the king s park 

 at Stirling and Icolumbkill. 



The whole plant is poifonous, and the 

 berries -f* eaten by children, from their 



* Flora Scotica, p. 142. vol. i. 



f Buchanan, the Scotch hiftorian, defcribes the 

 deftruiSlion of the army of Sweno, when he invaded 

 Scotland. It feems the Scots, by a truce, had engaged 

 to fupply the army of their invader with drink, and 

 in this they mixt the juice of the berries of deadly 

 nightfliade. The Danes became fo intoxicated, that 

 the Scots fell upon them in their lleep, and killed the 

 greateft part of them ; fo that there were fcarcely men 

 enough left to remove the king in fafety. This ac- 

 count is probably fabulous. 



beautiful 



