The Natural Hiftory of the Book VIII, 
GRA ASS ErSp ReEs Babes, 
AND 
GRAMINEOUS PLANTS. 
4 ay 
Of GRASSES. 
'T is no {mall Inftance of God’s Wifdom and Goodnefs, that the Face of 
I the Earth is covered with Grafs, for the Ufe of Cattle; and that its Ver- 
dure fhould, above all other Colours; be moft grateful to the human Eye. 
The Variety likewife that is obferved in their different Species, affords in- 
Gnite Ufe and Amufement. Reeds and Rufhes cover with a beautiful 
Green the otherwife difagreeable Surface of a miry wet Soil, and, by 
their numerous Roots, prevent its being wafhed off by Floods. It is 
in thefe, that feveral Kinds of Birds, fuch as Coots, make their Nefts ; and 
among thefe likewife they find their Food, and are, whilft feeding, 
fhelter’d from the Sight of their Enemies. If we afcend up the Hills 
and Mountains, there the Carpet-Downs’open to our View, and, with 
their wide Extent and Verdure, yield an innocent Delight; and if the 
fteep Sides of Hills were not cloathed with Grafs, the narrow interme- 
diate Valleys would be fcorched up with the reflecting Rays from their 
oppofite ftony Surface. 
The STAR-GRASS. 
HIS is the moft remarkable of any of the Grafs-kind. Its Roots 
are many and fibrous. The feveral Stalks join there together, as in 
a Bunch of Scallions. . The main Stalk rifes about fourteen Inches high. 
This is fmall, round, and folid ; furrounded, within two Inches to the 
Ground, with feveral flender narrow gramineous Leaves. From thence 
upward the Stalk rifes in an upright Spire, which, at the Top, fpreads 
into feven other grafly Leaves, ftanding almoft horizontally round a Tuft 
of {mall whitith Sced-veffels, containing a great many {mall black Seeds. 
Thefe Leaves are remarkably ftained, or, as it were, enamel’d on the Infide 
with a clear White for near an Inch long; the Remainder of the Leaf 
is perfectly Green. ‘They are in their Bloom in Fune and Fuly; but this 
white Part is not a tranfitory Embellifhment, but is as permanent as 
the Leaf. 
Dutcs 
