STAE OF BETHLEHEM. 289 



for any one but Apollo. Zephyr became mad with jealousy and 

 hate, and murdered Hyacinthus. Then Apollo 



" Made this scarlet flower 

 Spring from the dismal flood, and on its leaves 

 Impressed the words of grief, Ai, Ai ! " 



/ There is a Starch Hyacinth (Muscari racemosus), which \ 

 / yields more starch than the wild Hyacinth. The spike of 

 / flowers resembles a miniature cluster of Grapes ; they have a / 

 V scent like starch. It grows in several places about Edinburgh, / 

 and also in a valley near Durham ; but as it is generally found 

 where old gardens have stood, there is much doubt of its 

 being a wild flower. yf/^A W-< 2fib-U^ /l*lL- far t^y J >. 



The Star of Bethlehem Tamily comes next. It has fqr ' 

 members three with white, and one with yellow flowers ; 

 six petals, more or less, tinted with green on the outside, six 

 stamens, and no calyx. 



The common Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum), 

 is a familiar plant in gardens, its pure white clusters of stars 

 appearing before the leaves. I found it growing freely in 

 fields near Goostrey, in Cheshire, flowering early in May. 

 The blossoms close towards evening. 



" Pale as a pensive cloistered nun, ' 



The Bethlehem Star her face unveils 



When o'er the mountain peers the sun, 



But hides it from the vesper gales." 



The Drooping Star of Bethlehem (O. niitans), is a beautiful 

 plant ; the large half-closed flowers hang from either side the 

 tall stem. The buds are greatly tinged with green, and little 

 stripes and stains of it remain upon the mature flower, adding 

 to the beauty of the intense white of the petals. I first saw the 

 plant in the botanical gardens at Edinburgh, and was eager to 

 make interest with the officials for a specimen ; but since I have 

 found it wild near Fawcett, in the North Eiding of Yorkshire. 



My specimen of the Tall Star of Bethlehem (O. pyrenaicum, 

 Plate XVI., fig. 11), comes from Freshford, in the Bath neigh- 



