Gregor RocKs 195 



sun did not shine. It was originally called, in apothe- 

 cary shops, Capillus- Veneris, Adiantum ; and in France 

 Saluia vita and Ruta - Muraria , There were two 

 varieties of this fern, designated in Europe as Venus- 

 Haire or Lumbardie Maiden- Haire, in 1578. The 

 larger species grew commonly about well-springs, in 

 walls in Italy. It was known as Capillus- Veneris, — 

 named by the ancients Adiantum, This fern has hairy 

 foot - stalks, small, blackish leaves, snipped around. 

 This species is, no doubt, our Venus-Hair Fern, 

 known to-day as Adiantum Capillus- Veneris. 



The Walking Fern was known to Linnaeus by the 

 name of Asplenium, species of this genus being used 

 against diseases of the spleen and liver. It was un- 

 known to Dodoens in 1578. The Purple-stemmed ClifF- 

 Brake was originally known as a species of Pteris, a 

 name suggested because these ferns resemble the wings 

 of birds. 



Our native species of Bluebells of New England are 

 emigrants from Europe, and are closely allied with the 

 Bellflowers of Europe. These flowers were likened to 

 cathedral-bells, with a small white clapper hung in 

 the middle. These were, according to Lyte, found in 

 Coventry and Canterbury, England, 1578, opening 

 after *' Sunne-rising," and closing toward " Sunne- 

 set." Theophrastus knew these flowers centuries 

 before Christ, while Pliny designated them in I^atin 

 losione. 



Our Bluebell {Campanula) derived its generic name 

 from campana, the Italian for a bell. The species 



