44 CHRONOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 



usually referred to the Thuya Orientalis'. — Theophrastus speaks of the 

 tree growing at the Oasis of Amnion, and in Cyrene, localities in which 

 it must have been planted. The T. Orientalis continues to be a favourite 

 ornamental tree in Egypt ; and was found by Belon, growing wild on 

 the mountains of Asia Minor. 



The lcrnAriszos of Homer, Herodotus, and Thucydides ii. 34, accord- 

 ing to the received opinion and Greek usage, is the cypress (Cupressus 

 sempervirens). — A funereal tree with the Ancient Greeks; and planted 

 at the present day in all Muslim cemeteries, from the Mediterranean 

 to Hindostan. 



The niTYS of Homer (II. xiii. 390), and Herodotus, may be com- 

 pared with Pinus maritima. — According to Sibthorp, the P. maritima 

 abounds in Greece, and is the only species found in Cyprus. Forskal 

 speaks of the importation of pine timber into Egypt. And ' the P. 

 Halepensis was seen by Delile in a garden at Cairo; and is enumerated 

 by Clot-Bey and Figari among the plants long known in Egypt. 



The aao>nh of Homer (Od. i. 183), Hesiod, and Ibycus, according to 

 the received opinion and Greek usage, is the laurel (Laurus nobilis) . — 

 The leaves and branches used (according to Callixenus) in the festival 

 of Ptolemy Philadelphus, were probably imported ; for I find no notice 

 of the cultivation of the laurel in Egypt. Alpinus speaks of the medi- 

 cinal use of the imported berries. 



The ntEos of Homer (II. xxiv. 268) and Theophrastus, according 

 to the received opinion and Sibthorp's account of the Greek usage, is 

 the box (Buxus sempervirens). — The writing-tablets of the Early 

 Greeks are known to have been usually made of box-wood ; and ac- 

 cording to the Septuagint Version, such tablets are mentioned in Isaiah 

 xxx. 8. The living plant appears to have remained unknown in Egypt. 



The KrANEi of Homer, and Herodotus vii. 92, is considered to be 

 the cornel (Cornus). — Two species are mentioned by Theophrastus; 

 and the C. mascula and C. sanguinea were both seen by Sibthorp in 

 Greece : from which country, according to Clot-Bey and Figari, they 

 have recently been introduced into the gardens of Egypt. 



The nTEAEA of Homer, Hesiod, and Aristophanes (Nub. 1008), ac- 

 cording to the received opinion and Sibthorp's account of the Greek 

 usage, is the elm (Ulmus campestris). — This tree was seen by Delile 

 in gardens at Cairo ; where, according to Clot-Bey and Figari, it has 

 been long known. 



The KAHerH of Homer and Theophrastus, according to the received 



