AT HERMIOXE. 199 



with the true mistletoe, Loranthus europceus, which 

 still serves to make birdlime, whilst our misseltoe, 

 Viscus album, in Greece grows only OIL-- the silver 

 fir. Screaming among these ancient oaks was the 

 jay, still called by its ancient name ; and the water- 

 ouzel, flying along the rocky sides of the Alpine 

 rivulets of Arcadia, was regarded as probably the 

 white blackbird, which Aristotle says is peculiar to 

 the neighbourhood of Cyllene." But, amidst these 

 varied floral and ornithological riches, our travellers 

 looked in vain for the beauty of Arcadian shep- 

 herdesses, and listened equally in vain for the pipe 

 of the sylvan swain. Owing to the oppression 

 of the Government, many of these poor people 

 were driven to lead a precarious and predatory life 

 among the mountains. 



At Hermione, now called Castri, in the Argolic 

 peninsula, famous for the purple dye anciently 

 prepared there, they found a vast pile of the shells 

 from which that dye was obtained, and still de- 

 nominated porphyri, the species being the Murex 

 trunculus of Linnaeus. From this place they re- 

 turned by land to Argos, whence they proceeded 

 to complete their tour, and, after various adven- 

 tures, arrived again at Zante on the 29th April. 

 There Dr Sibthorp parted from his faithful com- 

 panion, whom he was destined never to see again. 

 Mr Hawkins returned to Greece while his friend 



