APRIL. 51 



The starch gray)e hyacinth {Muscari race- 

 mosum) is sometimes found in grass fields, and 

 among ruins, in this countrv,but many botanists 

 think that it is not indigenous. The cir- 

 cumstance that a flower is found among ruins, 

 renders it probable that a garden was formerly 

 in the neighbourhood, and that the flower was 

 once cultivated there. This flower is well-known 

 by being so common in gardens. It resembles 

 abunch of dark purple grapes, and when bruised 

 a quantity of clammy starch-like substance 

 issues froni it. The flower has also the odour 

 of wet starch. It has a large bulbous root. 



Very nearly allied to the hyacinth is the 

 vernal' squill, '(Scilla verna,) w^hich is now in 

 flower on rocks by the sea- side. It is about 

 four or five inches high, with blue bells and 

 long slender leaves. It is common on the coasts 

 of the northern and western parts of Great 

 Britain, and frequent in the Orkney and Shet- 

 land isles, where the bleak winds are so un- 

 favourable to vegetation that few flowers will 

 flourish. The bulbous root contains a very 

 useful medicine, but as it is also a powerful 

 poison, it should never be taken but under the 

 direction of a medical adviser. 



The large greenish yellow blossoms of the 

 two species of wild hellebore now stand out 

 boldly under the hedges. These are the green 

 hellebore, (Ilc/lefjonfs viriJits,) and the stink- 

 ing hellebore, {Ilelleljonts fatidus ;) the latter 

 species is clearly distinguished from the other, 

 by the purple colour at the edge of its green 



