GREAT WHITE WATER-LILY. 89 



of the waters, opens its leaves and expands its petals 

 at the first pattering of the shower, and rejoices in 

 the rain-drops with a quicker sympathy than the 

 parched shrub in the sandy desert." 



The fruit, or berry, of the Nymphaea, after sink- 

 ing to the bottom, as Sir James Smith mentions, 

 gradually decays, and the seeds thus freed from the 

 pulpy mass are dispersed by the action of the waters, 

 some of them probably sinking in the mud, to give 

 birth to a progeny of young plants around the pa- 

 rent, while others are carried away in the stream to 

 diffuse the species in waters which had not previous- 

 ly been adorned with the Lily's flower. 



This splendid aquatic is not entirely without its 

 economical uses. Gray mentions that, in his day, 

 its roots were sometimes made into bread; but we 

 much fear our countrywomen have now lost the art. 

 Various writers mention that, in the Highlands of 

 Scotland, as well as in Ireland, the roots are used 

 to dye a dark chestnut, or brown colour; and Dr 

 Mackay states that, in Connemara, they are used 

 for dying wool black. Withering records the fact, 

 that swine eat this plant the root, we presume; 

 but it does not appear to be a favourite article 

 of food with farm-stock generally; for he also men- 

 tions, that while goats are "not fond of it," cows and 

 horses refuse to eat it. 



Like all the other species of Water-Lily , this one has 

 been applied to medicinal purposes; but its alleged 



