THE HORSETAIL. 47 



being carried on by a third, who admit that they 

 will devour them, but declare that they afflict them 

 with diarrhoea, and cause the teeth of cows, at 

 least to fall out. On this point, however, though 

 unable to speak from experience, I think we may, 

 with the most absolute confidence, receive the state- 

 ment of Linnaeus, at once a native of the region 

 of which he speaks, and a calm and keen observer 

 of nature and student of truth. And he distinctly 

 informs us, that in Sweden the water-horsetail (E. 

 Umosum, his E. fluviatile), is cut up as food for 

 cows, in order to increase their milk,* just as is still 

 done at Dunkerron ; and he expresses some aston- 

 ishment that the Laplanders should neglect to lay 

 up a store of this plant, as well as the reindeer-moss, 

 for their starving, winter herds ; remarking that the 

 reindeer eat it readily, even in a dry state, and 

 when they will not eat ordinary hay.*)- While Mr. 

 Knapp informs us in his " Journal of a Naturalist ;" 

 and the fact has never been disputed, that the same 

 species (?) is the favourite food of water-rats, which 

 appeared to frequent a certain pond for the express 

 purpose of enjoying this food, which, like the sailor's 

 wife of Shakespeare, they 



" Munched, and munched, and munched," 



so perseveringly, that their regular "champing" 

 could be heard at the distance of several yards. 

 The Equisetums were, also, in former ages much 



* " Flora Suecica." 



f "Lachesis Lapponica," both as quoted by Newman, 

 " British Ferns." 



