OF ACCOMPANYING ANIMALS AND PLANTS. 89 1 



Saxifraga adscendens of Subarctic Europe and mountain-summits farther South. Observed by 

 Calceolarius on mount Baldo — (Spreng.); by Linnaeus, and Fries, in Scandinavia; by Ledebour, in 

 Esthonia : by Lapeyrouse on the Pyrenees ; by Koch, on the Swiss Alps ; by Poech, from the Tyro- 

 lean Alps to mount Viso (A. Dec. 433) ; by Grisebach, at " seven thousand feet" on the mountains of 

 European Turkey ; and is termed " s. controversa " by Sternberg. 



The same year (Mason ii. 28), arrival in Pegu of the first missionary, Bonferrus. — He remained 

 three years only. 



'S55> " Feb. 6th " (S. F. Haven in archaeol. Amer. iv. 265), in consequence of the discoveries 

 beyond Cape North, a Trading company chartered in England by Philip and Mary ; under the name 

 of the "Muscovy" or "Russia company." — In 1556, the title was changed to "the Fellowship of 

 English merchants for the discovery of new trades ; " the corporation continues in existence. 



" February " (Alst.), in England, many persons of distinction, Protestants, burned alive. — Rem- 

 iniscences of "bloody Mary " have not disappeared from the mind of the English people to the pres- 

 ent day. 



"The same year" (Pauth. 407), the coast of Tche-kiang in China invaded by the Japanese, 

 hitherto regarded as a tributary nation. After landing, to the number of '*four thousand," the Japa- 

 nese were defeated and sought refuge in their ships. — In the following year, they returned "ten 

 thousand " strong, but were again repelled. And after an interval of " seven " years, a third attempt 

 proved in like manner unsuccessful. 



"Aug. 20th" (Schmied.), Gesner ascending mount Pilate, near Lucerne, meeting with "gentiana 

 punicea " ii. fig. 92 G. purpurea, " sedula montana pulchra " tab. fig. v Saxifraga sedoides, " sedi 

 minoris genus fioribus lutei.s maculosis " Saxifraga atttumnalis . He published an account of his 

 excursion before the close of the year, together with his Rar. et admirand. herb. 



The Canary bird, Fringilla Canaria first mentioned by Gesner in this year, — and first figured 

 by Aldrovandus (Beckm.). The bird was brought from the Canary Islands ; and as kept in cages, 

 has become familiarly known among civilized nations ; having doubtless been sometimes transported 

 into Egypt. 



" The same year " (Vega 388, and Holmes), the culture of the grape having been successfully 

 introduced into " the city of Chili," the historian Vega sent by his father Garcilasso de la Vega, to 

 distribute bunches to different houses. 



" The same year " (Maunder), Humaioon succeeded by his son Ackbar, now emperor of North- 

 ern Hindustan. 



Fritillaria meleagris of the Uralian plains. Called in Britain guinea hen or checquer lily or 

 fritillary from "fritillus" dicebox (Prior), and about the middle of the Sixteenth century transferred 

 into gardens — (Beckm.) : described by Dodoens pempt. 233 ; observed by Pallas trav. iv. and v. 

 wild on the Lower Volga ; has become naturalized in France, England, Holland, and as far as Swe- 

 den (Blakst. in Huds. fi. 144, fl. Dan. pi. 972, Bromf., and A. Dec). 



Fritillaria Pcrsica of Central Asia. Brought about the middle of the Sixteenth century from 

 Persia — (Clus. rar. ii. 2, and Beckm.) : termed " lilium persicum " by Dodoens pempt. 220 (Spreng.), 

 and Lobel hist. pi. 86; described also by Linnasus, and Redoute" lil. pi. ; and occasionally cultivated 

 in the gardens of Europe and Northeast America. 



" 1 556, July" (Hakl., and Churchill coll.), arrival of Stephen Burrough in a small vessel at Nova 

 Zembla or the " new land." He here learned how to shape his course for the river Ob: but on 

 reaching the Straits of Weygats, "found no passage, and the summer season being almost spent, 

 returned to Colmogro " in Russia. — After wintering here, the farther prosecution of the voyage was 

 countermanded. 



" Sept. 15th " (Alst.), departure for Spain of Charles V., leaving the government of Belgium to 

 his son Philip ; and of Germany, to his brother Ferdinand, with letters requesting the electors to 

 make Ferdinand emperor. 



"The same year" (De Bry.), arrival of Lerius in Brazil: where the only plants common to 

 Europe were "portulaca" (P. oleracea), "ocymo" (O. Americanuni), and " filice " (Pteris aquilina). 

 Amonu- other novelties, he describes according to Sprengel Cerbera ahovai, " hatich " Ipomoea pla- 

 tanifolia, and Zatnia furfuracea.* 



" 1557 A. D." (Spreng.), Quakelbeen, physician to Busbequius, writing from Constantinople to 

 Matthioli. 



* A myris balsamifera oi the West Indies. A tree seen by Lerius 202 in Brazil, —according 

 to Sprengel : A. balsamifera was observed by Sloane pi. 168, and P. Browne 208, on Jamaica. 

 From transported specimens, is termed "lucinium" by Plukenet aim. pi. 201, is described also by 

 Linnaeus. 



