AN IMPORTANT FAMJL Y. 159 



Our plant is considered injurious food for cattle ; and it 

 was on account of its unwholesome properties, perhaps, that 

 the Egyptians regarded it as an emblem of sickness ; or 

 the idea may have been suggested by its frail and feeble 

 appearance. 



The yellow wood anemone is a rare and beautiful variety, 

 which I have sometimes met with among the chalky downs 

 of Kent. Its botanical designation is Anemone ranunculoides. 



A still richer species is the Anemone pulsatilla, or Pasque 

 Flower Anemone j a silky downy plant, easily recognised by its 

 blossom of glowing purple. The blue mountain anemone 

 (Anemone Apennind) is only to be found, as its name indi- 

 cates, on the bold rugged sides of lofty mountain-heights. 



The Anemones belong to a very important order, the 

 Ranunculacea, or Crowfoot family, which is divided into 

 five sub-orders : i. Clematidae ; 2. Anemonese ; 3. Ranuncula- 

 ceae; 4. Helliboreae; and 5. Actoeae, or Poeonise. [Linnaeus 

 distinguishes forty-one known genera, comprising a thousand 

 species. There are nine British genera of Anemoneae. 



In Drayton's " Poly-Olbion " occurs a rich descriptive 

 passage, an exquisite "flower-piece," which, on account 

 of its beauty, deserves to be better known, and more fre- 

 quently quoted. The poet is enlarging upon the floral rites 

 which were celebrated at the espousals of the rivers Thame 

 and Isis, and sets before us a bright bevy of Nymphs and 

 Naiads ; engaged in twining " dainty chaplets " to deck the 

 persons of the bride and bridegroom. The stalwart Thame 7 

 so it seems to them, should not be " dressed with flowers 



