80 PYRUS.— EPILOBIUM. 



The sweet-smelling corymb of flowers is resorted to, in its season, 

 by numerous insects ; and the Thrush-tribe greedily devour the 

 berries. I have never seen these used in Berwickshire as a bait to 

 snare the birds, as Sir Robert Sibbald tells us was once the custom in 

 Scotland : " Ex setis caudse (equorum) finguntur laquei, quibus 

 appensis baccis Sorbi aucuparise autumno turdelse, meruli et rubeculae 

 capiuntur." Scot. Illust. ii. lib. 3. p. 6. In our moor districts the 

 berries are called 3S.ctli(£n^ ; and children are frightened from eating 

 them by being told that they will draw the entrails together, — and 

 the astringency of the fruit comes in aid of the mother's caution. 

 Housewives there pickle them for garnishing dishes in winter ; and, 

 on an autumn holiday, children string them into laces of beads. 



14, P. aria. White Beam-tree. — In plantations. July. 



208. Epilobium angxjstifolium. Stephens in Ann. and Mag. 

 N. Hist. viii. 170 ; and Leighton in Ibid. p. 403. French- Willow. 

 — B. In the ravine above Ross ; in Dnlaw-dean ; and on the sea- 

 banks between it and Redheugh. On the banks of the Whiteadder 

 from Claribad to above Hutton-mill. Banks of the Tweed above 

 Coldstream, R. Embleton. — N. In the Cheviots, on the banks of the 

 Common Burn ; above Langley-ford ; and in Dunsdale. — Wherever 

 it grows, the French- Willow is abundant ; and very glorious to see 

 when in flower. This, when in bud, is strongly deflexed and ap- 

 pressed, patent when fully blown, and erecto-patent when in fruit. 

 The plant has been introduced into the garden, where its permanence 

 is secured as much by its rooty habit as by its showiness. July. 



Between Hutton-ha' mill and Hutton mill the Whiteadder makes 

 a fine semicircular sweep, defined, on the southern side, by a high, 

 steep, scarry, and partially wooded bank, which overlooks a pretty 

 half-reclaimed haugh on the north side. On the bank the French- 

 Willow grows in profusion, with the Wood- Vetch ; and the young 

 botanist may gather the following species on the haugh :^ 



Malva mosehata. Myosotis csespitosa. 



Symphytum officinale. palustris. 



Sium angustifolium. Scirpus lacustris. 

 Galium Witheringii. Potamogeton pusillum. 

 Trifolium fragiferum. Schoenus compressus. 

 Sparganium ramosum. Anacharis alsinastrum. 

 simplex. 



209. E. HiRSUTUM. Runlets by way-sides, and the channels of 

 small burns in the lowlands are, in August, choked in many places 

 by the luxuriant growth of this beautiful species. It also fringes the 

 sides of many of our ponds, and of our waters, in places where the 

 soil is wet and muddy. 



210. E. PARViFLORUM. Watery places, frequent. July. 



211. E. MONTANUM. Deaus, woods and hedge-bottoms ; and on 

 old walls, especially on those over which water trickles. — The variety 

 /3. verticillatum, distinguished by having three leaves in a sort of 

 whorl, occurs occasionally in our district. July-Sept. 



