646 



SECALE SENSITIVE PLANT. 



parts of the body. It is very doubtful, however, 

 whether this is entitled to be regarded as a distinct 

 species, for it rather seems to be a colouring of age ; 

 for individuals having all the characters of this one 

 with the fur finer and of a yellow sand-colour, have 

 been met with in the very same places. It cannot be 

 too often repeated that there is really no trusting to 

 colour as a means of specific difference among seals 

 either with external ears or without ; for any one who 

 sees a herd of a dozen or two of common seals on a bank 

 upon any of our own shores, will find some on the 

 distant view nearly black, some piebald, some brown, 

 grey, and some white. It would, therefor?, be of 

 some use to the systematic describers of these ani- 

 mals, to take a hint from Benedict's description of 

 the lady of his choice, and let their hair be " of any 

 colour that it pleases heaven," for the habitual intro- 

 duction of colour into all the descriptions is pro- 

 ductive of more confusion than any other cause that 

 can be named. It is highly probable that the white- 

 headed seal mentioned by Shaw is nothing else than 

 the one which is here described as ash-coloured. It 

 is described as being about ten feet long ; the only 

 distinction of it from the other is the white on the 

 head, and the description is merely that of an indi- 

 vidual specimen, the native habitat of which is not 

 known. 



THE YELLOW-EARED SEAL of authors, which is 

 described as being of a pale cream-yellow, and less 

 than two feet in length, is, in all probability, a young 

 one at some particular stage of its growth ; and the 

 same may perhaps be said of most of the small ones 

 which have been added to the list of species from mere 

 museum specimens, and upon museum authorities, 

 without the slightest reference to nature. 



Such is as complete an outline of both the genera 

 of the seal family, as well as of their characters and 

 habits, as our limits will permit us to give. Taking 

 them in the whole, there are very few families of 

 animals, either of the land or the water, that are more 

 interesting ; and although their teeth and their ali- 

 mentary system generally class them with the flesh- 

 eating animals, they have some approximation to the 

 Ruminantia in an economical point of view. It is to 

 be borne in mind, too, that all the advantages which 

 are obtained from the seal family, come from the free 

 bounty of Nature, without care, culture, or feeding at 

 the hand of man ; and hence, if the period shall soon 

 arrive (and there is no natural cause why it should 

 not), when culture shall add the shores to the solid 

 land, the value of the seal family may be greatly 

 increased. 



SECALE (Linnaeus). Is the generic name of the 

 well-known cereal rye. It is remarkable for being 

 the habitat of a parasitic plant which fixes itself in 

 the ovary of the flowers. The seeds and seed-vessels 

 affected, instead of becoming normally developed, are 

 perverted in an early stage of their growth, and a 

 lengthened club-shaped body protrudes from the 

 husks instead of the grain ; hence it is called spurred 

 or horned grain ; and when used as medicine is call- 

 ed ergot of rye. The presence of this fungus alters 

 the qualities and properties of the grain, changing it 

 from a wholesome to a hurtful food, and even a fear- 

 ful poison. Like many other poisons, however, the 

 ergot forms, when duly administered, a valuable me- 

 dicine, being peculiarly serviceable in one of the most 

 interesting and hazardous conditions to which women 

 are subject ; indeed il may be fairly said, that the 



discovery of the virtues of this little fungus has added 

 a new article to our scanty list of specific remedies. 



SECAMONE (Dr. R. Brown). A genus of tro- 

 pical climbers, bearing pentandrous flowers, and be- 

 longing to the natural order Asclepiadacece. Some of 

 the species are medicinal, and in our collections are 

 treated as stove plants. 



SECHIUM (Brown, P.) A native of Jamaica, 

 where it is called Choko. It belongs to Cucurbitaceae, 

 and bearing large fruit is cultivated for feeding hogs. 

 It was called Sici/os edulis by Jacquin. 



SECURIDACA (Linnaeus). A genus of West 

 Indian twining plants, bearing fragrant diadelphous 

 flowers, and belonging to Pulygalece. They are stove 

 plants, and succeed with the ordinary management. 



SECURINGEA (Jussieu). A hard wooded tim- 

 ber tree called the Otalieite myrtle, although intro- 

 duced into our collections from the Mauritius. The 

 flowers are mono3cious, and belong to Euphorbiacece. 

 It is grown on light soil, and flowers freely in our 

 stoves. 



SEDUM (Linnaeus). An extensive genus of mostly 

 succulent herbs, generally found in the northern 

 hemisphere. The flowers are decandrous, and be- 

 long to Crassulacce. From being frequently seen on 

 the tops, or growing out of the interstices of stone- 

 walls and rocks, they have acquired the name of 

 stone-crop in English lists. 



SELAGO (Linnaeus). A genus of under-shrube, 

 natives of the south of Africa, bearing small didyna- 

 mous flowers, and belonging to Verbcnacece. They 

 are easy of culture and propagation. 



SELENITE. The mineralogical name for crys- 

 tallized native sulphate of lime. The primitive form 

 of selenite is a rhomboidal prism, and the crystals are 

 commonly transparent. Very fine specimens are 

 found in Cumberland. 



SEL1NUM (Linnaeus). A genus of uncultivated 

 herbs, natives of Europe. They belong to the fifth 

 class of sexual botany, and to the natural order Um- 

 bclliferae. 



SEMECARPUS (Linnaeus). An East Indian 

 fruit tree belonging to Terebinthaceae. This is the 

 marking-fruit of Indian authors, and so called because 

 its stains are indelible, and it forms a natural ink. The 

 fruit is not much esteemed unless roasted to remove 

 its acridity. 



SEMPERVIVUM (Linnaeus). A genus of shrubs 

 and under-shrubs, natives of fhe south of Europe. 

 The flowers are dodecandrous, and belong to Crassu- 

 laccce. Being mostly succulent, they require a light 

 loose soil, and but little water. 



SENACIA (Commelene). A genus of tropical 

 evergreen shrubs, natives of India. They bear pen- 

 tandrous flowers, and belong to Pittosporece. They 

 are kept in the stove, and are easily propagated by 

 cuttings. 



SENECIO (Linnaeus). An extensive genus of 

 annual and perennial herbs and shrubs, chiefly natives 

 of Europe and Africa. The genus is divided into 

 six sections, each of which is separated into sub- 

 sections. The flowers are composite, and among the 

 species we find some highly ornamental, and many 

 only worthless weeds. The S. ekgans, and the S. 

 vulgaris, common groundsel, are instances. 



SENSITIVE PLANT. Is the Mimosa tensitiva 

 of Linnaeus ; the irritable properties of which are 

 so well known, even to those who know no other 

 plant, that no description is necessary. 



