HONEYSUCKLE.— Zo;?/cerr/ Periclymenuw. 



Class Pentandria. Orde7- Monogtnia. Nat. Ord. Caprifoliace^. 

 Woodbine Tribe. 



There is hardly a wild flower of our hedge- 

 rows which delights us more by its fragrance 

 than does the Honeysuckle. During May 

 and June its blossoms are waving about the 

 bushes, or creeping over the old ruin or rocky 

 crag, in all parts of our island, and we wonder 

 not that poets, both ancient and modern, 

 have sung of their sweetness. It had the old 

 name of Woodbine, but both Spenser and 

 Shakspeare call it by the older name of Capri- 

 fole, or Goat-leaf, which was given because, 

 like the goat, it climbs over craggy and almost 

 inaccessible places; or, as some writers say, 

 because these animals relish the leaves. It 

 has a similar name in other countries, for the 

 French term it Chevre-feuille, and the Italians 

 Caprifoglio. At the base of its long tubular 

 flower lies the honey, which though the bee 

 may not reach it, is extracted by the long 

 tongues of the sphynxes and hawk-moths, that 

 may often be seen hovering about it. After 



