1 70 Bo^-Trottin^ for OrcKids 



extant records of plants. The name Columbine for 

 these species appears to have originated in England, 

 or in the Low Countries. Dodoens described them 

 under that title as early as 1578; and as botany was 

 not actually revived until 1530 and 1542, we may ac- 

 cept Dodoens as authoritative on the common names 

 of that day. He writes of the Columbine: "The 

 shape and proportion of the leaves of the floures do 

 seem to represent the figure of a dove or culver, — these 

 floures produce hollows with a long-crooked tayle like 

 a L,ark's-claw (and bending somewhat toward the pro- 

 portion of the necke of a Culver)." ' The honeyed- 

 spurs of Columbine, therefore, suggested the curve of a 

 dove's-neck rather than the dove's-foot or the eagle's- 

 talons. Another author is reminded of a "dove's-cote," 

 as he looks into the open flower, which seems to him a 

 fitting home for doves. 



Columbine-flowers are often called " Honeysuckles " 

 by children. The name Honej^suckle, however, ap- 

 plies to the Woodbines which Dodoens describes as 

 growing with flowers "in tufts like nosegaies, of a 

 pleasant color, and long and hollow almost like the little 

 bags of Columbine. ' ' The Columbine became confused 

 with the Honeysuckles of the Woodbine Family, since 

 Columbines produce " Httle bags of honey "—which 

 the children sucked and christened. Furthermore 

 there is a resemblance in the long hollow spurs of the 

 Woodbine flowers to those of Columbine blossoms. 



'Dr. Rembert Dodoens, History of Plants, Lyte's Trans., ist 

 ed., p. 119. 1578. 



