OF ACCOMPANYING ANIMALS AND PLANTS. 



541 



The Hindus are described by Porphyrius abst. iv. 17 as divided into two factions : the Brahmans, 

 hereditary throughout ; and the CAMANAIOI (Budhists), indiscriminately selected and who prac- 

 tise celibacy, have no possessions, and pray at the sound of bells. 



266 A. D. (=276 — " 10 years reign" in the Mahavamsa xxxvi.), Ghota-abaya succeeded by 

 his son Dette-tissa, now king of Ceylon. 



"267 A. D." (Trebell., Zosim , and Clint.), at Palmyra, Odenatus put to death, and succeeded 

 by Zenobia. In Greece, the Heruli (a Gothic tribe) after pillaging Athens, repulsed by a band of 

 " two thousand " men under the historian Dexippus. 



"The same year" in Gaul (Vict., Hieronym., and Clint.), Postumus succeeded by Victorinus 

 as king ; next by Marius ; and at the close of the year, by Tetricus. Coins of all these princes are 

 extant. 



One hundred and thirty-seventh generation. Sept. 1st, 267, onward mostly beyond youth : 

 Rabbi Jochanan : the Greek poet Aurelius Apollinaris; the historian Callicrates of Tyre; the 

 Christian Greek writers, Malchion of Antioch, Pierius of Alexandria, and Theognostus : the Latin 

 writer, the poet Nemesianus ; the Latin Christian writer Arnobius. 



About this time (Gesen., and others), the modern Hebrew letters make their appearance for the 

 first time ; in inscriptions at Palmyra. — The " vowel-points," were introduced more than two centuries 

 later, and after the time of Hieronymus. 



Ceasing of the Great pestilence, after continuing its ravages "fifteen years " (Hieronym., and 

 Clint.). The pestilence (according to Sharp) is described by the physician Aretaeus : — who is 

 mentioned by Aetius xi. i. 



Menispermum (Anamirta) cocculus of Tropical Hindustan and the neighbouring portion of the 

 Malayan archipelago. The imported seeds are called in commerce cocculus indicus (Lindl.) : the 

 KO K AAO U seeds prescribed by Aretaeus, — may be compared ; and the "mahizehrah " of Hobaisch, 

 Elmansuri, and the Persians, identified by Ebn Baitar with the " samm elsamak," is referred here by 

 Sontheimer. Farther East, A. cocculus was observed in Hindustan by Rheede vii. pi. 1 and xi. pi. 

 62, Colebrooke, and Wight ; by Graham, '' a twining shrub " growing " throughout the Concans " and 

 called " kakmari-ka-beenje ; " by Heifer, " indigenous " in Tenasserim (Mason v. p. 490) ; and by 

 Rumphiusv.pl 22, on Java. The seeds according to Lindley "are a well-known poisonous drug, 

 used occasionally in the form of powder or ointment for destroying pediculi, and in some skin dis- 

 eases," but chiefly "to render malt liquor intoxicating;" a practice "said to be persevered in, 

 although prohibited by severe enactments." 



Menispermum {Cocculus) leceba of middle and upper Egypt. — Called in Egypt " lebakh el- 

 gebel ; '' and the account of the drug " lehibach " by Rhazes, and Avicenna, may be compared with 

 this and the preceding plant : C. leaeba was observed by Forskal not far from Cairo growing in the 

 Desert, and by Delile in upper Egypt. 



Listera ovata of Europe and the adjoining portion of Asia. A small orchid called in Britain 

 tway-blade or b If oil, in medieval Latin " bifolium " (Prior) ; and the A I FT A I N of Aretaeus, — and 

 Aetius (Ruel ii. 147), may be compared: L. ovata is termed "o. bifolia " by Tournefort inst. 437 ; 

 and is known to grow from Denmark throughout middle Europe (fl. Dan. pi. 137, Lam. fl. fr., and 

 Pers.) ; was observed by Sibthorp in woods in the Peloponnesus. 



" 268, March " (coins, Vict., and Clint.), Gallienus succeeded by Aurelius Claudius, thirty-fourth 

 Roman emperor. The name of Aurelius Claudius occurs on coins issued in Egypt. 



"In autumn, in the seventh lunation" (Pauth. 270). display of meteorites witnessed in China: 

 a multitude of shooting stars, like a shower, falling or following each other Westward. 



The sun-temple and principal structures at Tadmor or Palmyra, erected under the government 

 of queen Zenobia (Lubke and Lutrow). 



" 269 A. D." (Clint.), invasion of Egypt by queen Zenobia of Palmyra ; and with partial success. 

 Her name, with that of her colleague Vabalathus, occurs on coins issued at Alexandria. 



"Dec. 26th" (Clint.), death of Dionysius ; and after a few days, Felix ordained twenty-fourth 

 bishop of Rome. 



" 270 A. D." (Trebell., and Clint.), the Goths overwhelmingly defeated, and quieted by Aurelius 

 Claudius. For which service, his " statue in gold " was placed in the capitol at Rome. 



Genista candicans of the Mediterranean countries. The H I R S VTA- G EN I STA under which 

 cows are reposing in Titus Calphurnius eel. ii. — (Dod. pempt. vi. 2. 2), may be compared: G can- 

 dicans was observed by Dodoens in Spain ; is termed "cytisus monspessulanus medics folio siliquis 

 dense congestis et villosis " by Tournefort inst. 648, " c. pubescens " by Moench ; is known to grow 

 in Italy and Southern France (Pers.) ; was observed by Sibthorp, and Chaubard, in the Peloponnesus 

 and on the mountains of Euboea. " G. Canariensis," known to grow in Spain and on the Canary 

 Islands, the flowers fragrant (Pers.), is regarded by Chaubard as not distinct. 



"Before summer" (coins, and Clint.), Aurelius Claudius succeeded by Aurelianus, now thirty- 



